California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) disclosed on January 2, 2026, that approximately 325,000 state residents will receive replacement Real ID driver’s licenses or identification cards after a legacy software configuration dating back to 2006 assigned incorrect expiration dates. The error primarily affects immigrants with lawful presence, whose Real ID validity should align with the end date of their authorized stay rather than the standard five- to eight-year renewal cycle.
The announcement arrives eight months after the Department of Homeland Security began full enforcement of the Real ID Act at U.S. airports and federal facilities in May 2025. Under the rule, passengers must present a Real ID-compliant document—or a passport—to clear TSA checkpoints. Holders of the mis-dated cards risk being turned away despite otherwise valid immigration status.
Travelers scrambling for alternative identification can turn to VisaHQ, which offers expedited passport and travel-document services as well as clear checklists for Real ID–compliant paperwork. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides step-by-step guidance and live support, helping affected Californians secure backup credentials quickly and avoid disruptions to planned trips.
![Software Glitch Forces 325,000 Californians—Many Immigrants—to Replace Real ID Cards]()
DMV Director Steve Gordon emphasized that “99 percent of Real ID holders are unaffected” and promised no-fee replacements. Impacted Californians will receive mailed instructions; however, they must surrender their flawed IDs and may experience a documentation gap while waiting up to two weeks for the new card. TSA has not yet issued interim guidance, so travelers facing imminent departure should carry a passport or other acceptable federal ID.
For employers, the snafu could complicate Form I-9 reverifications and domestic business travel. HR teams should remind affected employees to update driver’s-license data in expense-management and travel-profile systems once new cards arrive. Companies sponsoring H-1B or L-1 workers should also verify that Real ID corrections do not conflict with immigration status extensions filed with USCIS.
The incident underscores the stakes of statewide IT modernization as Real ID compliance widens. Other states use similar legacy code, and DHS auditors may intensify reviews. Travel and mobility managers should monitor their home-state DMVs for parallel disclosures and encourage international assignees to keep passports current even for domestic itineraries.
The announcement arrives eight months after the Department of Homeland Security began full enforcement of the Real ID Act at U.S. airports and federal facilities in May 2025. Under the rule, passengers must present a Real ID-compliant document—or a passport—to clear TSA checkpoints. Holders of the mis-dated cards risk being turned away despite otherwise valid immigration status.
Travelers scrambling for alternative identification can turn to VisaHQ, which offers expedited passport and travel-document services as well as clear checklists for Real ID–compliant paperwork. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides step-by-step guidance and live support, helping affected Californians secure backup credentials quickly and avoid disruptions to planned trips.
DMV Director Steve Gordon emphasized that “99 percent of Real ID holders are unaffected” and promised no-fee replacements. Impacted Californians will receive mailed instructions; however, they must surrender their flawed IDs and may experience a documentation gap while waiting up to two weeks for the new card. TSA has not yet issued interim guidance, so travelers facing imminent departure should carry a passport or other acceptable federal ID.
For employers, the snafu could complicate Form I-9 reverifications and domestic business travel. HR teams should remind affected employees to update driver’s-license data in expense-management and travel-profile systems once new cards arrive. Companies sponsoring H-1B or L-1 workers should also verify that Real ID corrections do not conflict with immigration status extensions filed with USCIS.
The incident underscores the stakes of statewide IT modernization as Real ID compliance widens. Other states use similar legacy code, and DHS auditors may intensify reviews. Travel and mobility managers should monitor their home-state DMVs for parallel disclosures and encourage international assignees to keep passports current even for domestic itineraries.
