Well in WA, we already switched to RealID-compliant driver's license numbers, even for standard licenses. Next time your license is renewed, take a look at your license. I didn't even notice this for months after I got my new one. I was filling out a form and I put down the old one since I had it memorized. You still can't use it to cross borders though.

I'm sure this means we will have RealID-compliant cards as the norm here soon.

You can't use RealID-compliant cards to cross borders anyway, just for TSA and other federal ID checks. You can use EDLs. which are only issued by a few states.

I don't think WA will release RealID-compliant cards, they would have already since, as you mentioned, they implemented other changes to comply with the act like random ID numbers and adding the "not valid for..." text.

Most non-citizens will already have some form of RealID-compliant document, whether it's a foreign passport, green card, etc. Since the only added requirement for EIDs is citizenship, and since most non-citizens have RealIDs anyway, WADOT likely felt there wasn't enough justification to issue 6 different forms of ID to residents.

EDLs/EIDs are Real ID. Standard WA DLs are NOT Real ID compliant. Notice they’re marked with “Federal limits apply”. That means they’re no good for air travel if Real ID goes into effect.

Real IDs are good for land/sea travel for CA/MX.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/about/real-id-faq.html

I literally said all of that, yes. I don’t understand the point of your comment.

It is pretty clear I mean that WA will not issue non-EDL RealID Drivers Licenses given the context. Given that, I clearly know what restrictions exist to current WA DLs given I know what the two options are. I talk about being able to use an EDL but not a RealID document to cross land borders, so I clearly also know what you can use an EDL and RealID in terms of crossing international borders.

> also people on non-immigrant visas cannot get them

Which kinda makes sense as this is intended to be a pseudo-federal ID, right?

Not true, many states give Real IDs to non-immgrants.

Sure, but when I’m traveling as a nonimmigrant anywhere else in the world regardless of how long I’m staying, the only ID they will accept from me is a US passport. This seems reasonably reciprocal with how US citizens are treated abroad