Planning travel? Here are some important dates for renewing travel documents

Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Texas sets ID renewal dates after pause during pandemic
Are you planning a vacation but forgot that some important documents expired during the pandemic? Here are some important dates you need to know!

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With the arrival of spring, many families are mapping out their travel plans, only to find out that some of their key travel documents have expired during the pandemic.

ABC13 gathered all the information you need on some important deadlines for renewing you don't want to miss:

Mark your calendar for April 14 if you have an expired driver's license. That's when the waiver for expired licenses ends. When COVID-19 hit, Texas offered an extension on IDs such as driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses and state ID cards that expired on or after March 13, 2020. You can schedule an appointment online, but if that appointment is after the April 14 deadline, you can request a temporary license.

Do you need to renew your expired vehicle registration sticker? The deadline for that is also April 14. You'll need a passing vehicle inspection in order to renew. Depending on when your sticker expired, you may be able to renew online, but you also have the option to renew by mail or in person.

If you are planning on flying later this year, mark your calendar for Oct. 1. That's the date U.S. travelers must be Real ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. The original deadline was Oct. 1, 2020, but it was delayed due to the pandemic. A Real ID card is simply an enhanced driver's license. Your driver's license may already be Real ID compliant. Just check for the star at the top of the card, or visit the Homeland Security website.

SEE RELATED STORY: What's a passport card, and can it replace a Real ID?

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