Over 300,000 California Real ID holders must update licenses due to DMV error
The California Department of Motor Vehicles said this week that about 325,000 people must take steps to maintain valid Real IDs, due to a software issue the agency identified in a review of its systems this winter.
The department on Wednesday said it will notify affected customers, about 1.5% of Real ID-holders in the state. Full enforcement of Real IDs began in May.
“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 in a news release. “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.”
The agency said the issue related to the software that applies expiration dates to the identification cards. A legacy system from 2006 automatically applied standard expiration dates to people with lawful presence in the U.S. — who are, for instance, permanent residents, green card holders or visa holders — rather than the expiration of the person’s authorized stay.
“The issue was limited solely to how expiration dates were calculated for some of California’s noncitizen residents with legal presence,” DMV officials wrote in the news release.
The agency said the state remains in compliance with federal Real ID law.
According to the DMV, Real ID-holders who receive notification will have the process expedited and associated fees waived.
This story was originally published January 1, 2026 at 10:33 AM with the headline "Over 300,000 California Real ID holders must update licenses due to DMV error."
