SC travelers: You won’t need a passport to fly in the US next year after all

South Carolina travelers can breathe a sigh of relief. They won’t need a passport to board domestic flights after all.

The state has been granted an extension for becoming Real ID compliant through Oct. 10, 2018, the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles announced Wednesday in a news release.

The extension means that those with current driver’s licenses and ID cards may continue to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings and military bases without a passport.

The agency expects to begin issuing Real ID-compliant cards during the first quarter of 2018 and should not need another extension, the news release said.

“While this agency fully anticipated this extension and saw no barrier to receiving it, we’re pleased that DHS did the right thing for the people of the state,” Kevin Shwedo, SCDMV executive director, said in the release.

Passports are still required for international travel.

Those who would like to begin the application process for a Real ID-compliant driver’s license may bring the required documents to an SCDMV branch, even though the licenses aren’t being issued yet, the release said. It said more than 65,000 South Carolinians have already done this.

“You put yourself in a better position to avoid the line and potentially be able to order your Real ID license from home next year,” project manager Melissa Cisson said in the news release.

Here’s what you need to bring:

▪  Proof of identity (a government-issued birth certificate or valid U.S. passport)

▪  Proof of Social Security number

▪  Two proofs of a current, physical South Carolina address

▪  Proof of all legal name changes

The requirements for commercial driver’s licenses and identification card holders or international customers are different. For more information, visit www.scdmvonline.com.

Drivers who received their first South Carolina driver’s license or ID during or after November 2010 or moved to the state after being licensed or holding an ID in another state after that date may already have the required documents on file with the agency. Check the status of your documents by completing the “Real ID Document Check” at www.scdmvonline.com or call 803-896-5000.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 10:54 AM with the headline "SC travelers: You won’t need a passport to fly in the US next year after all."