Only 59% of Virginians have a Real ID: What to know before May 7

The big picture: The state's Department of Motor Vehicles tells Axios they've issued more than 4 million Real IDs to date, which accounts for only 59% of all active licenses and IDs.

• That lower adoption rate could cause headaches for Virginia travelers this spring.

Meanwhile, our Maryland and D.C. neighbors are putting us to shame.

• They both have a 99% Real ID-compliant rate, which is one of the highest in the country.

State of play: A current U.S. passport or other federally recognized ID will still work for domestic travel with or without a Real ID after the May 7 deadline.

• Children under 18 don't need to show ID when traveling nationwide.
• And since it's optional in Virginia, it won't be needed to drive, vote or access benefits, either.

How it works: Complete an application — starting online is faster — and then visit one of the state's 76 customer service centers with the required documents and $10 to pay the fee (in addition to the driver's license fee).

• Appointments can be also made online for ID card services, and the DMV accepts walk-ins.

Between the lines: The Real ID is part of a decades-long push to standardize identification nationwide.

• But it's been delayed for years because of states not wanting federal oversight of their systems, low compliance and pandemic-related admin hurdles.

The bottom line: Now's the time to get if you haven't. We can't let Maryland and D.C. outdo us like this.