Wisconsin
How to get a Real ID in Wisconsin as new requirements start
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Adults who plan to fly within the U.S. or visit a military base or federal buildings on or after Wednesday, May 7, will need a Real ID or other Transit Security Administration-approved documentation.
Here’s what you need to know to get a Real ID in Wisconsin before enforcement begins.
What is a Real ID?
AReal ID is a state-issued driver’s license or identification card that meets security standards of the federal REAL ID Act, which Congress enacted in 2005.
Wisconsin-issued Real IDs are marked with a star in the upper right corner. You can check if your Wisconsin ID is a Real ID here.
Over 64% of Wisconsin residents now have a federally compliant driver’s license or ID card, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles.
Can I still use another ID?
Starting May 7, a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification, will be required for domestic air travel or visiting U.S. military bases or federal buildings.
The Wisconsin DMV offers both Real IDs and non-compliant IDs.
You do not have to apply for a Real ID if you have no plans to fly or visit a federal building, or if you have another accepted form of identification, like a valid U.S. passport.
You can continue to use your current driver’s license or ID for other identification purposes until its expiration date.
How to get a Real ID
You can apply to get a Real ID online or through a local branch of the Wisconsin DMV.
Using the DMV’s interactive driver licensing guide, you can start an application online, print out a checklist of required documents and schedule an appointment.
Appointments are not required, but the DMV is seeing an increase in visitors as the Real ID enforcement deadline approaches, a department spokesperson said.
What documents do I need to bring?
When you apply, you must provide additional documentation in the form of an original document or certified copy (not a photocopy, fax or scan) from each of the following categories, according to the Department of Transportation.
Some documents can apply to multiple categories, but others may only meet the requirements of one category.
The document categories include:
How to get a copy of your birth certificate or name change documents?
If you were born in Wisconsin, you or an immediate family member can request a copy of your birth certificate online through the Department of Health Services..
This process also requires forms of identification. The cost of the certificate is $20, plus $3 per additional copy.
If you are a U.S. citizen born outside Wisconsin and need a birth certificate, check this guidance.
The simplest way to provide proof of a name change is to bring a valid, unexpired U.S. passport in your current name when you apply for a Real ID. If you don’t have that, you will need to provide documents to support each name change from birth to the current date.
How will the TSA enforce the deadline?
Travelers planning to fly within the U.S. without compliant identification could face delays, additional screening and possibly not be allowed into an airport security checkpoint, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA accepts some other forms of identification.
Minors are not required to have a Real ID, but it is required of adults accompanying them to travel.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.
Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
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