Until recently, West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles thought it would face a $40 million headache to begin implementing federal Real ID mandates for state driver's licenses this year.

However, thanks to a recently approved deadline extension, and relaxed requirements from the federal Office of Homeland Security, DMV Commissioner Joe Cicchirillo said the state has gotten a reprieve.

Instead of having to begin implementing the Real ID requirements this May, and having to complete the changeover of all 1.5 million state driver's licenses within 2 1/2 years, the extension gives West Virginia until 2017 to complete the process, he said.

With the extension, drivers born after 1964 will have to have Real ID-compliant licenses by 2014, and drivers born in 1964 or earlier will have to have the new licenses by 2017.

More significantly from a cost standpoint, relaxed national requirements for the new licenses mean that the current design of West Virginia licenses already meets the standards, according to Deputy Commissioner Steve Dale.

State licenses already feature digital photo IDs and bar codes that can be scanned to obtain each driver's personal data, he noted.

Other initial requirements, which accounted for much of the estimated $40 million cost, have been revised.

That includes an original mandate that the new cards be made of unalterable polycarbonate stock, which alone would have added $8 to $10 to the cost of each license, Cicchirillo said.

Until recently, West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles thought it would face a $40 million headache to begin implementing federal Real ID mandates for state driver's licenses this year.

However, thanks to a recently approved deadline extension, and relaxed requirements from the federal Office of Homeland Security, DMV Commissioner Joe Cicchirillo said the state has gotten a reprieve.

Instead of having to begin implementing the Real ID requirements this May, and having to complete the changeover of all 1.5 million state driver's licenses within 2 1/2 years, the extension gives West Virginia until 2017 to complete the process, he said.

With the extension, drivers born after 1964 will have to have Real ID-compliant licenses by 2014, and drivers born in 1964 or earlier will have to have the new licenses by 2017.

More significantly from a cost standpoint, relaxed national requirements for the new licenses mean that the current design of West Virginia licenses already meets the standards, according to Deputy Commissioner Steve Dale.

State licenses already feature digital photo IDs and bar codes that can be scanned to obtain each driver's personal data, he noted.

Other initial requirements, which accounted for much of the estimated $40 million cost, have been revised.

That includes an original mandate that the new cards be made of unalterable polycarbonate stock, which alone would have added $8 to $10 to the cost of each license, Cicchirillo said.

"We were not prepared financially or had the technology to implement it," he said.

"A lot of the cost has probably dropped along the way," he told the House Finance Committee. "It's significantly less than originally estimated."

Enacted by Congress in 2005, the Real ID Act has drawn harsh criticism from state legislatures, with at least 17 states passing resolutions opposing implementation of Real ID.

At least two resolutions opposing West Virginia's participation in Real ID are pending in the Legislature this session.

Technically, state participation in Real ID is voluntary.

However, once the deadlines pass, individuals without Real ID-compliant identification will not be able to board commercial airliners, enter federal buildings and facilities, open bank accounts, or apply to receive any federal benefits, such as Social Security.

To contact staff writer Phil Kabler, use e-mail or call 348-1220.