New Jersey officials have asked the federal government for an extension to the deadline to adhere to requirements of the REAL ID Act.

Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Raymond Martinez told the New Jersey Assembly Budget Committee that the delays are largely due to outdated technology.

"Our mainframe is maintained by the State Office of Information Technology, and it is older,” he said. “It takes a lot of work on their end and some on our end but we've been working very cooperatively and diligently with them."

Martinez says that the MVC will be compliant by the end of 2017 and that he is confident that the agency will get the short extension from the federal government.

The REAL ID Act helps establish new federal standards for state-issued identification cards, including driver’s licenses. It was put into place to better help secure the nation.

“So many things happen around the world today,” says Pompton Lakes resident Peter Selca. “I think for safety all over the world, especially the United States, we need that."

No ID changes will be made to domestic travel until January 2018. REAL ID standards do not go into effect until October 2020.

If a state’s ID cards are not REAL ID compliant, there are other documents besides a passport that can be used for travel. A list can be found at the Transportation Security Administration’s website.