New driver's licenses require proof of identity

SANDUSKY — Do you want to keep using your Ohio driver's license to board commercial airline flights?You'll need your birth certificate and Social Security card, and be able to come up with other paperwork.Ohio now offers two kinds of driver's licenses. Drivers can still get standard licenses, similar to the ones Ohio drivers have been carrying in their wallets for years.But they also can opt to obtain a "compliant" driver's license that meets federal requirements for secure identification for air travel, which is scheduled to go into effect in October 2020.The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles says when choosing a driver's license that's good for four years, you should pick the "compliant" license if you want to be able to fly commercially or obtain access to federal facilities or military bases. You can use the standard license to fly after October 2020, but only if you also can show a valid passport.Standard licenses don't require extra paperwork unless you are getting a license for the first time. But to get the stricter license, you'll have to bring in paperwork to your local deputy registrar's office.To get a compliant driver's license, you'll need to have a birth certificate — either the original document or a certified copy with a seal — or a valid passport or an equivalent document.You'll also need to take in your Social Security card, or a W-2 with your Social Security number, or a 1099 form with the number on it.The clerk at the office also will want to see two pieces of paper with your street address. And if you've changed your name, you'll have to document that, too.For detailed information on acceptable documents, visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles website at bmv.ohio.gov.The new driver's license system went into effect in July 2018, but many Ohioans are discovering the new rules as their old licenses expire and they come in to get new ones.There's one other change drivers need to be aware of.You won't be able to leave the deputy registrar's office with your new driver's license.Instead, once you've met your requirements and paid your fee, expect to wait seven to 10 days for your new license to arrive in the mail.Ohio made the changes to comply with a new federal mandate for more secure licenses, said Lindsey Bohrer, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.If you need a birth certificate, getting one isn't difficult.In Ohio, certified birth certificates are obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics, which operates within the health department. They can be ordered online, purchased by mail or purchased at the local health department. In Erie County, birth certificates are available for $24 during normal business hours from the Erie County Health Department, 420 Superior St.Obtaining a new licenseYou can get the same Ohio driver's license you've always had, but if you want to fly, you'll need an enhanced driver's license that requires documents such as a birth certificate and a Social Security card. This is what the new "compliant" Ohio driver's licenses look like.