Software glitch forces around 325,000 Californians to replace Real IDs

By Naveen Athrappully
Contributing Writer

Approximately 325,000 Californians need to update their Real IDs in order to keep their identification valid, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said in a Dec. 31 statement. 

“We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006, and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said. Roughly 1.5% of individuals who hold Real IDs issued by the state are affected. 

“For nearly 99% of Real ID holders, no action is required. The DMV remains committed to serving all Californians and ensuring Real ID credentials meet federal standards.” 

Under the Trump administration, immigrants with lawful presence in the United States may be issued Real IDs. This includes green card holders, visa holders and permanent residents. 

The legacy system issue dates back to a software configuration from 2006 that limited “how expiration dates were calculated for some of California’s noncitizen residents with legal presence,” it said. “Once identified, the DMV implemented a series of safeguards to prevent the issue from recurring and began notifying affected customers.” 

Affected individuals will be informed about the actions they must take to get a Real ID or a non-Real ID driver’s license reissued, per their eligibility. DMV vowed to expedite the application process and waive any related fees. 

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005. It enacted recommendations made by the 9/11 commission in which the federal government established standards for issuing identification sources, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards, according to the Department of Transportation. 

The act not only set up minimum security standards when issuing such documents — it also prohibited federal agencies from accepting any non-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards for certain official purposes, the department said. The act came into full enforcement on May 7, 2025. 

DMV clarified that “At NO point were Real IDs ever issued to undocumented individuals (those without legal presence).” Moreover, “all individuals received Real IDs only after the federal system verified their lawful presence.” 

The department affirmed that the error does not mean people without legal status were allowed to vote or register to vote in the state. 

“No. This issue is unrelated to voting. Separate, federally mandated safeguards protect against individuals who are not eligible registering to vote under the Motor Voter Act. Unless you are a citizen, it’s illegal to register to vote in California,” it said. 

People without Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses or state-issued identification are not able to board federally regulated commercial aircraft, access military installations or federal government facilities, or enter nuclear power plants. 

Data Privacy Concerns 

There have been data security concerns regarding Real ID. For instance, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and other critics have alleged that the act creates a de facto federal database that gives the central government access to every state’s license data. This can allow the federal administration to use Real ID to track individuals and infringe on their constitutional rights. 

In an interview, Ian Grossman, president and CEO of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, dismissed such concerns, saying “the federal government actually does not have access to that data.” 

“The federal government’s role … is to affirm that the states are using the service to be compliant with the [Real ID] rule. There is no usage of the service by the federal government,” he said. 

Concerns about Real IDs being issued to illegal immigrants also exist. In October 2025, an illegal immigrant from India crashed a semi-truck he was driving into the back of a passenger car and several other vehicles, killing three people and injuring several others. His commercial driver’s license, issued in California, was Real ID-compliant. 

In November 2025, the Transportation Department said that California sent out notices to revoke 17,000 illegally issued CDLs following an order issued by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. 

On Dec. 30, the California DMV announced that it would delay the revocation. “Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move, and our communities don’t stay connected without them,” DMV director Gordon said. 

Duffy warned in a Dec. 31 X post that if the illegally issued CDLs are not revoked by the deadline, California stands to lose $160 million in federal funding. “The deadline to revoke illegally issued, unvetted foreign trucker licenses is still January 5,” he wrote. 

Michael Clements contributed to this report. 

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