California
Have a flight soon but no REAL ID? Here’s how to get one in California, turnaround time
REAL ID guide: What it is and how to get yours
REAL ID is becoming the nationwide standard for state-issued identification. Don’t wait. Learn how to get yours.
Twenty years in the making, the 2005 REAL ID Act is finally going into effect on May 7.
The act, passed amid other increasingly tight security measures following 9/11, established that Americans would need identification that met “minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.”
It also prohibited federal agencies from accepting identification from states that did not meet those standards, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Actual implementation of the regulations ultimately took two decades, hitting several road bumps. Now that enforcement is soon to begin, however, those who do not secure a compliant ID in time will soon be unable to enter federal facilities or board domestic flights.
Have a flight coming up and no REAL ID on hand? Here’s what to know about trying to get one. But spoiler: It will take you at least two weeks, at that’s the best-case scenario.
Is there a deadline for REAL ID?
Yes. Travelers must have a REAL ID to fly domestically on or after May 7, 2025.
After the deadline passes, travelers can use acceptable alternative forms of ID, including passports, military IDs, tribal nation and Indian tribe IDs, or an Enhanced Driver’s License (only available in Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont) for domestic travel.
What’s the fastest way to get a REAL ID before the deadline?
To aid in the last-minute crush of those seeking REAL IDs, select California DMV officers across the state will be opening an hour early to assist applicants by appointment only. Participating offices will be taking appointments beginning at 7 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays through June 27, according to the agency.
The DMV offices that will be offering the early-bird appointment are:
- Pleasanton (6300 W. Las Positas Blvd.)
- Fremont (4287 Central Ave.)
- Folsom (323 E. Bidwell St., Suite A)
- Carmichael (5209 North Ave.)
- Thousand Oaks (1810 E. Avenida De Los Arboles)
- Van Nuys (14920 Vanowen St.)
- Arleta (14400 Van Nuys Blvd.)
- Glendale (1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd.)
- Pasadena (49 S. Rosemead Blvd.)
- Culver City (11400 W. Washington Blvd.)
- Westminster (13700 Hoover St.)
- Costa Mesa (650 W. 19th St.)
- San Clemente (2727 Via Cascadita)
- Rancho Cucamonga (8629 Hellman Ave.)
- San Diego Clairemont (4375 Derrick Drive)
- San Marcos (590 Rancheros Drive)
- El Cajon (1450 Graves Ave.)
- Poway (13461 Community Road)
What documents are needed for a REAL ID in California?
You’ll need to present several documents to apply for a REAL ID, according to the California DMV.
One document includes proof of identity, which could be your passport, your birth certificate or your permanent resident card, among other options.
You’ll also need to prove you live in California.
For that, you’ll have to provide two documents showing your California mailing address, such as a home utility bill or cell phone bill, a bank statement, a tax return, or employment documents, among other options. You’ll also need to provide your Social Security number, although exceptions may exist.
You can visit the California DMV’s website to see a full list of all valid documents.
Can you get a REAL ID online in California?
Yes, you can start the process to get a REAL ID in California online, then complete the process in person.
How long will it take to get my REAL ID in California?
In California, it takes about two weeks to receive your physical Real ID in the mail after completing the application process, according to the DMV. The turnaround time can vary depending on the DMV office’s number of applications.
While you wait for the physical card to come in the mail, you’ll receive a temporary paper version of the Real ID, but the TSA will not accept temporary paper IDs issued by the DMV or other temporary documents to fly.
What does a REAL ID look like in California?
A California-issued REAL ID will have a bear with a star in the top right corner of the license or identification card, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Homeland Security.
Other markings used in the United States for REAL-ID compliant cards include a gold or black star, according to DHS.
If you’re unsure if your ID is REAL-ID compliant, check with the California DMV, the Transportation Security Administration said.
So, what does that mean for you if you’re missing that bear and star on your card? Here’s what a REAL-ID does and what your alternative options are.
Contributing: James Powel, Nathan Diller, USA TODAY
The most significant seismic event in California’s history – an earthquake of 7.9 magnitude – occurred in 1857 and ruptured about 225 miles on the San Andreas Fault. That earthquake, dubbed the last “Big One,” killed two people and produced shaking that lasted between one and three minutes.
Since then, California has exploded in population and been has been rattled by many major earthquakes. But Californians have also grown familiar with the existential dread of another “Big One” looming.
Researchers have long warned there will be another massive earthquake in Southern California. They just don’t know when.
A recent study says warning signs continue to grow in 2026. The San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems have reached the highest stress levels seen in the past 1,000 years, according to a study conducted at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
The San Andreas fault runs throughout the state, passing through San Francisco and San Bernardino, while the San Jacinto fault is in Southern California and runs through Riverside, San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.
Why the San Andreas Fault is so risky
Faults rupture on the San Andreas Fault approximately every 150 years, according to UCLA professor Jonathan Stewart, who studies earthquake engineering.
But it’s been over 300 years since the last “large rupture” occurred south of the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake, Stewart said. “As far we know it didn’t produce a large rupture since around 1690. To the present that’s a lot more than 150 years, so there’s a lot of build-up. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen immediately, it just means there is more stress built-up.”
When the earthquake happens, it is likely to cause a lot of damage. One major concern is the state’s water systems.
“An earthquake like this would rupture most, if not all of the major aqueducts bringing water into Southern California,” Stewart said. “Most people will not be in a collapsed structure after this earthquake, but everybody’s going to be affected by water problems.”
Study highlights longstanding risk
To investigate the probability of an earthquake occurring, researchers built a physics-based simulation and fed it the earthquake history from the region. By doing so, they were able to estimate how much stress has built up along the southern San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems.
The results suggest that catastrophe may be near.
“Right now, with stress at historically high levels across the region and more than 160 years elapsed since the last major rupture, the system is in a critically loaded state,” lead author Liliane Burkhard said.
Most importantly, the Cajon Pass, at the junction of the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults, could facilitate a joint rupture of the two faults. This scenario, according to the study, would probably be “significantly more damaging” than a single-fault event.
How is earthquake safety considered?
Seismic hazard assessments are critical for the safety of the millions of residents in California’s densely-populated and earthquake-prone areas.
Seismic Hazard maps show the relative hazard associated with earthquakes using information on past faults, the behavior of seismic waves and the near-surface conditions of specific locations, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Larger values indicate a stronger level of earthquake shaking. A peak ground velocity of 269 cm/sec would correspond to extreme shaking and heavy damage. For reference, the largest ground velocity recorded in Taiwan’s 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake reached 318 cm/sec and had a magnitude of 6.7.
That earthquake killed more than 2,000 people and incurred approximately $14 billion in damage.
How do the fault lines rupture?
The San Andreas and San Jacinto faults are strike-slip faults, which typically cause horizontal displacement. Both faults comprise the geologic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.
If a major earthquake occurs on the San Andreas fault, it is likely to produce surface rupture, which occurs when a fault breaks through to the surface. Most earthquakes, however, do not produce surface rupture, according to USGS.
In a major rupture, strong shaking could cause severe damage near the fault and in areas built on soft or water-saturated soils, which can amplify shaking. Rupture can directly offset roads, buildings, and other structures that span the fault trace.
Although the study helps explain the risk associated with the California fault lines, Burkhard emphasized that it shouldn’t serve as a forecast.
“This is not a prediction of when an earthquake will happen,” Burkhard said. “However, studies like this are important contributions to national and global earthquake hazard research in that we are using rigorous, quantitative science to better understand the risk facing millions of people.”
Contributing: Brandi D. Addison, USA TODAY NETWORK
California
California lawmakers seek $32M to combat invasive pest found on grapevines sold at Costco
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (FOX26) — California lawmakers are now asking the federal government for more than $32 million in emergency funding to stop the spread of an invasive insect that was recently discovered on grapevines sold at Costco stores across the state.
The request comes about a month after Fresno County agricultural officials discovered grapevine plants infested with the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a pest capable of spreading Pierce’s Disease, a deadly infection that can kill grapevines.
In a letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla joined Reps. Mike Thompson, David Valadao and other members of California’s congressional delegation in requesting $32.2 million in emergency funding to contain and eradicate the pest.
[RELATED] Fresno County grapevine plants shipped to Costco were infested with bugs
Lawmakers say the infected nursery stock was identified Mat 19 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.
The plants had been distributed to Costco stores in more than two dozen California counties before being sold to customers.
Officials believe some of the infested plants have since been transported to homes in at least 38 counties across the state.
The movement of infested nursery stock into and near key grape-producing regions, including areas critical to California’s winegrape and fresh table grape production, significantly elevates the urgency of this response.
The glassy-winged sharpshooter feeds on grapevines and spreads Pierce’s Disease, an incurable bacterial infection that can destroy vineyards by preventing vines from transporting water.
Lawmakers warned that the pest poses a serious threat to California’s wine and table grape industries.
According to the Wine Institute, California’s wine industry supports 1.1 million jobs nationwide and generates an economic impact of more than $170 billion.
California also produces 99% of the nation’s table grapes, with an annual crop value estimated at $2.59 billion.
If the pest spreads unchecked, the California Department of Food and Agriculture estimates losses associated with Pierce’s Disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter could exceed $104 million annually.
The requested funding would support emergency response efforts, including tracing the movement of infested plants, surveying affected areas and expanding trapping programs.
Additional funding would also be used for long-term monitoring and eradication efforts over the next several years.
The lawmakers are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release the funding through the Commodity Credit Corporation, arguing that the outbreak meets the federal definition of an agricultural emergency.
Growers have already contributed more than $62 million toward research and mitigation efforts over the past 25 years through industry assessments, according to the letter.
Federal officials have not yet announced whether the funding request will be approved.
California
California Now Offers Free Passes to State Historic Parks (Just Don’t Miss the Deadline) | KQED
An annual pass that’s usually $50 is free in honor of Juneteenth — and to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Historical buildings are visible at Sonoma State Historic Park, Sonoma, California, May 31, 2026. Until July 6, Californians can download the state historic park pass for free and use it as many times as they want through the end of 2026. (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)
“California doesn’t hide from hard truths and uncomfortable history – in fact, we embrace it and learn from it,” Newsom wrote.
Until July 6, Californians can download the state historic park pass for free and use it as many times as they want through the end of 2026. The pass gives free entry to state historic parks for up to four people.
Jump to:
The Historian Passport grants entry to more than 30 state historic parks, including parks like Olompali and Malakoff Diggins which, rather than just providing outdoor recreation, also have an educational emphasis on the state’s history.
Many of these parks tell the story of the state’s cultural or indigenous history, from missions and museums to temples and the site that sparked the California Gold Rush.
Newsom made a similar move to make state parks free for Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year, in response to Trump’s decision to eliminate the holiday from the list of fee-free days at national parks across the country, replacing it with his birthday on Flag Day.
How to get your free Historian Passport for up to four people
You must make an account with the state’s reservation site ReserveCalifornia.com to obtain a Historian Pass. Then, visit the site’s Advance Passes page and select “Special Edition Historian Passport” from the dropdown menu, which will show as costing $0. No payment information is required.
After checking out, you’ll receive an email with an attached PDF version of your Historian Passport.
The state recommends you print off this PDF to present at any California state historic park for free entry, although you may just be able to show the image on your phone too.
Bear in mind that cellphone service may be poor at many state historic parks, so it’s worth screenshotting the PDF to save it as an image on your phone in case you’re unable to search your email.
Looking for free entry to other state parks that aren’t included in the Historian Passport? Consider checking out a parks pass from your local library, which provides these passes as part of the California State Library Parks Pass program.
Northern California State Historic Parks to visit for free this year with a Historian Passport
Bay Area
Sacramento area
Sierra foothills
KQED’s Carly Severn contributed to this report.
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