About 325,000 Californians will be required to replace their Real IDs because of a software glitch that affected how expiration dates were applied to some of the identification cards, according to the state.
The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles said that 1.5 percent of Real ID holders were affected by the error, which could render some identification cards that were issued to authorized immigrants valid beyond the end of their legal stay in the United States.
The problem occurred when the state’s old computer software used the same renewal interval for legal immigrants as everyone else, officials said.
Under regulations that took effect last year, Real IDs are required to board domestic flights in the United States. Passports and other government-recognized documents that are Real ID-compliant are also accepted.
Noncitizens who are able to verify their temporary legal immigration status can apply for a Real ID, the name for federally compliant, state-issued identification cards, including driver’s licenses, that have stronger security features and are marked with a star.
California officials detected the error during an internal review, according to the D.M.V., which made the results public on Wednesday, just before the new year.
“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,” Steve Gordon, the D.M.V. director, said in a statement. “For nearly 99 percent of Real ID holders, no action is required.”
Those who need to replace their identification cards will be notified about the steps they need to take in the coming weeks and months, according to the state D.M.V., which said it would waive any associated fees and expedite the process. No firm deadline for replacing the cards was given.
It was not immediately clear what would happen to those who don’t comply or whether their Real IDs would not longer be valid at some point if they are not replaced.
A D.M.V. spokesman declined to answer questions about the process, including whether those affected needed to visit motor vehicle field offices to replace their IDs.
The spokesman referred to a news release for guidance about the issue, which said that at no point were Real IDs issued to immigrants who are in the country without authorization.
As of Feb. 1, airline travelers in the United States who don’t have a Real ID or another acceptable form of identification will be charged a $45 fee to fly from U.S. airports.
Neil Vigdor covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
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