HARRISBURG, Pa. -- PennDOT is making changes to its Pennsylvania drivers licenses.
These licenses have a new barcode and format, which officials said will provide added security.
Alexis Campbell, the community relations coordinator for PennDOT said, "Our customers trust us with their private information, and we take that responsibility very seriously. So periodic updates like this are what we do here to help ensure that that information is secure."
There's still one thing that the old and new licenses have in common: They are both not compliant with the REAL ID Act.
PennDOT officials said that's because just a month ago there was legislation in place that prohibited PennDOT from participating in the REAL ID standards.
Campbell said, "We've been working towards this while we're legally unable to comply with REAL ID."
So that means even if you renew your license this year, you will still have to get a new license compliant with REAL ID in the future if you want to fly or go into a federal building.
PennDOT officials said these new drivers licenses have been in the works for two years, and they will be at all 71 PennDOT locations in October.
Campbell said, "Whether or not REAL ID exists, it's still PennDOT's responsibility that our products are secure."
Right now, the new license is only available at the PennDOT Riverfront Office in Harrisburg, and it still costs the same price, $30, to renew.
PennDOT officials said they are still working on the details to make licenses compliant with REAL ID.
Campbell said, "Now that we've recently come into a position where we can have those conversations, we'll be able to hash all that out and establish things like cost, timelines, all those sorts of things. But at this point we just don't have that information."
PennDOT is hoping to offer drivers licenses that are compliant with REAL ID by early 2019.