Can you use your pilot certificate as a government-issued ID...?

N918KT

N918KT

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KT
I heard there was a proposal a while back where I think the FAA or TSA wants a photo ID on pilot certificates. I'm not sure if they are still going to do that but if it does happen someday, would it be possible you could use your pilot certificate as a government-issued ID in lieu of a state driver's license or state government ID?
 
I dont see why not. Its issued by the department of transportation and has a picture of you on it.

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Probably, if don't want to drive. I use my A&P as a second form of ID at the bank, they ask for a credit card but I offer them the A&P, most have never seen one before, even had one call the supervisor, they took it. And I didn't have to worry about my credit card number.
 
Catalo said:
I dont see why not. Its issued by the department of transportation and has a picture of you on it.

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Do be so sure.... I know from experience having an ID with "Department of Justice" on the top of it, thumb print and photo on it only to hear "Sorry sir, we can't accept that as ID"

A cheap, easy to forge plastic drivers license is acceptable as ID in most places, but a high tech, high security ID with various security features isn't.
 
I could do without adding a bunch of crap to my certificate.

Seems to work just fine as it is.
 
Scrabo said:
Do be so sure.... I know from experience having an ID with "Department of Justice" on the top of it, thumb print and photo on it only to hear "Sorry sir, we can't accept that as ID"
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I'd bet that the reason some won't accept it is that it doesn't have your address on it.

I get that occasionally when using my military ID. Most places will take it, but some say they need to see an ID with my address.
 
Catalo said:
I dont see why not. Its issued by the department of transportation and has a picture of you on it.

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Wait, I'm a little confused here. Is there a picture for the person on the pilot certificate? I always thought that pilot certificates don't have a picture of the person on the pilot certificate but was under a proposed rule making or something.
 
N918KT said:
Wait, I'm a little confused here. Is there a picture for the person on the pilot certificate? I always thought that pilot certificates don't have a picture of the person on the pilot certificate but was under a proposed rule making or something.
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He was talking about IF they ever put pictures on them like you stated in your original post.
 
A few years back I needed to replace my drivers license (lost it). The DMV said one picture govt ID, and one more govt ID with or without pic.
I produced a passport and my pilot certificate. They were confused for a minute, but asked no questions.
 
I've got a number of "government issued photo IDs", and it's pretty hit or miss, mostly miss, as to whether even other government agencies will recognize them.

I toss them out once in a while just out of curiosity as to whether or not they understand the English words they're speaking, as if they are accurate.
 
The answer is yes, although no one seems to take it as such.

Usually, when asked for 2 forms of ID, I try the pilot cert. I am then told "how about a credit card?"

Funny enough - the credit card doesn't have a picture on it either...
 
I often use my faculty card - it's a State-issued ID, and more difficult to get than a drivers license. Has my photo, too!
 
Considering that the TSA once accepted a Prague metro pass (which did have my picture on it), I would think a photo-equipped pilot certificate would be fine.
 
DesertNomad said:
Considering that the TSA once accepted a Prague metro pass (which did have my picture on it), I would think a photo-equipped pilot certificate would be fine.
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I'm surprised. I have a TWIC issued by TSA and they wouldn't accept it at an airport. Of course they wouldn't accept a state issued university ID as a second ID to get the TWIC either - Even though it was specifically listed as an acceptable ID. Gotta love our TSA. Thankfully my passport seems to trump all ID requirements.
 
Scrabo said:
Do be so sure.... I know from experience having an ID with "Department of Justice" on the top of it, thumb print and photo on it only to hear "Sorry sir, we can't accept that as ID"

A cheap, easy to forge plastic drivers license is acceptable as ID in most places, but a high tech, high security ID with various security features isn't.
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Mine says Department of Justice, too. But we don't have a thumb print. You would think an ID that says I can arrest people and carry a gun would have more security features than my DL. :dunno:
 
ifly4fun said:
I'm surprised. I have a TWIC issued by TSA and they wouldn't accept it at an airport. Of course they wouldn't accept a state issued university ID as a second ID to get the TWIC either - Even though it was specifically listed as an acceptable ID. Gotta love our TSA. Thankfully my passport seems to trump all ID requirements.
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I think the TSA has a higher percentage of idiots in it than any other federal government agency.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I'd bet that the reason some won't accept it is that it doesn't have your address on it.

I get that occasionally when using my military ID. Most places will take it, but some say they need to see an ID with my address.
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It's hit-or-miss with V.A. ID cards, as well. It's a government-issued ID with a photo, ID number, bar code, magstripe, and the letters "VA" in braille, but no address.

The problem for me is that my legal address is a PO box because we don't get carrier-route delivery in Sparrow Fart, so that's the address on my driver's license, voter registration card, FCC license, etc. I don't have a single piece of ID with my physical address on it. I tried to get the physical address printed on my driver's license, but apparently their system uses the USPS database, which auto-corrects it to the PO box.

I've taken to carrying my electric bill and the declarations page from my insurance policy when I expect that I'll need to prove my physical address. Those are always accepted, which is pretty damn stupid considering that I print them up myself from PDFs on the electric company's and USAA's Web sites.

Rich
 
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Fearless Tower said:
I think the TSA has a higher percentage of idiots in it than any other federal government agency.
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No. Idiots are pretty much spread out evenly across the federal government. It's the SES level people who hide behind their desks in Washington that put out the stupid policies that make most others look like tools.
 
There's no PHOTO on it (I've tried to convince people that I'm the guy with the mustache without much avail), which lets it out of most of the real fun places (TSA doc checkers, etc...). I have used my pilot's license in the past to get into bars (well it was a long time ago) and the Virginia State Police procedure will take it as the SECOND form of ID (which only needs your address, not a picture) when purchasing firearms.

I keep my Passport Card and my TWIC card around for times I need a real government issued photo ID. Years ago I had a Civilian ID card (cool in that not only did it have a picutre, it had a finger print on it). They took it away from me (and didn't even smile when I asked if that meant I'm not a civilian anymore).

My wife was able to successfully use her Smithsonian Institution badge with the TSA once (she's a federal employee).
 
JB1842 said:
Mine says Department of Justice, too. But we don't have a thumb print. You would think an ID that says I can arrest people and carry a gun would have more security features than my DL. :dunno:
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DOJ doesn't use PIV badges like the rest of the government? Those do have digitized thumb prints in them.
 
SkyHog said:
The answer is yes, although no one seems to take it as such.

Usually, when asked for 2 forms of ID, I try the pilot cert. I am then told "how about a credit card?"

Funny enough - the credit card doesn't have a picture on it either...
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Yeah, but they can't buy stuff mail order with your pilot certificate number! :D
 
Fearless Tower said:
I'd bet that the reason some won't accept it is that it doesn't have your address on it.

I get that occasionally when using my military ID. Most places will take it, but some say they need to see an ID with my address.
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But I've used my passport many times, and that doesn't have my address on it, except in back where they tell you to write it in pencil in case it changes.
 
I've used the passport card with the TSA. No problem. I've seen people use passports all the time. The State Police here won't take an ID without an address though. I watched with some amusement as a County Sheriff, IN UNIFORM, was denied a gun purchase because all he had was a driver's license and no legitimate second form of ID (normally car registrations work but he was driving the police car).
 
Everskyward said:
But I've used my passport many times, and that doesn't have my address on it, except in back where they tell you to write it in pencil in case it changes.
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I'm not saying it makes any sense....but when I have had people not accept my DOD ID, it was because it did not have an address. I did not try to use a passport instead, but I suspect that it would not have been acceptable either.

FWIW, the only time I have had someone refuse to accept my DOD ID was the drug store pharmacy when picking up a prescription that was considered a controlled substance.
 
flyingron said:
The State Police here won't take an ID without an address though.
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Why does your State Police demand an ID?

Unless you are operating a motor vehicle and asked for a driver's license, why not just tell them "no thanks"?
 
NoHeat said:
Why does your State Police demand an ID?

Unless you are operating a motor vehicle and asked for a driver's license, why not just tell them "no thanks"?
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I was referring to the procedure for taking possession of a firearm from a dealer. You tell them "no thanks" and they'll tell you "no thanks." It takes two forms of ID one must be a government issued photo ID with your address on it and the second can be just about anything that has an address that matches on it (lease, property tax receipt, utility bill, votor's registration card, hunting license). Just about everybody uses their CHP but I used my pilot's certificate before I got the CHP because it's right there behind my driver's license in my wallet.
 
MAKG1 said:
DOJ doesn't use PIV badges like the rest of the government? Those do have digitized thumb prints in them.
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We have those, too. But right now all we do with them is to unlock our computers, not for actual ID purposes. Then we also have a building specific ID card that you use to open doors if you don't want to put in your code for the scramble pads.
 
I dont know what you guys are talking about. My CPL is a photo ID... if you're Wilbur or Orville Wright.... or you identify as a Boeing 747...

:rofl:
 
All this talk of "showing your papers" for various government-imposed reasons is rather depressing, actually.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
All this talk of "showing your papers" for various government-imposed reasons is rather depressing, actually.

Rich
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Your papers are not in order....
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They've killed Mr. Leon Sprague. Remember, you must think in Russian.
 
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