Georgia REAL ID requirements.

Already have a Georgia license?

DDS says all Georgia driver's licenses and IDs issued after 2012 are REAL ID-compliant and have a gold or black star in the upper right corner (the color difference reflects card design changes). Georgia calls this the Secure ID initiative. A U.S. citizen who already holds a REAL ID-compliant Georgia license or ID does not need to resubmit documents unless changing a name, updating a gender marker or requesting other identity-verifying services.

Only one physical card, either the license or the ID card, can carry the star. You may also hold a REAL ID-compliant Digital License and ID in addition to the physical card. TSA does not accept the temporary paper interim license for air travel, and the permanent card is mailed within 30 days, so allow time when you make changes.

What DDS asks for if you need one

Visit a Customer Service Center with original or certified documents if you lack a REAL ID or hold an out-of-state or foreign license.

• Identity (1 document): for example a U.S. birth certificate (original or certified, with a raised seal, from the Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health), an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.
• Social Security number: enter your full SSN on the online License/ID/Permit form. If verification fails, bring proof such as a Social Security card, a W-2 or 1099, a pay stub showing your full SSN, or a federal or state tax return.
• Georgia residency (2 documents): from separate sources or accounts, showing your name and current residential address. P.O. boxes do not prove residency. DDS groups accepted documents into household information (mortgage or lease), government-issued documents, financial statements and utility bills dated within six months, vehicle papers, employer documents, school records and medical statements.

Name changes

If the name on your identity document differs from your current legal name, bring documents showing the full name-change history: a passport, a certified divorce decree or court order that states the change, a certified court adoption document, or a certified marriage certificate or license. Customers with a valid Georgia license or ID present the original or certified document supporting the most recent name change.

If you travel before you have one

TSA says enforcement of REAL ID at airport checkpoints began May 7, 2025. A valid U.S. passport is an accepted alternative to a REAL ID. Travelers with no acceptable ID can pay a $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID, which is optional, lets TSA attempt to verify identity, and comes with no guarantee TSA can do so; the payment is valid for 10 days from the travel date entered and is made only through Pay.gov.

What this page does not cover

• Fees. The DDS page read did not state a REAL ID fee, so check the DDS fee schedule for your transaction.
• Non-citizen requirements. DDS lists separate immigration documents and does not accept translated documents; see the DDS non-citizen guide.
• Gender-marker changes and minors' guardianship rules.

Sources

• Georgia DDS: REAL ID (read November 1, 2026)
• TSA: REAL ID (read November 1, 2026)
• TSA ConfirmID ($45 fee) (read November 1, 2026)