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I live in WA, so it (currently) costs $7/year extra for an enhanced drivers license. I'll just have an unreal ID, until the mandate is real for me.

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There is an additional benefit with the EDL, which is that you can go up to Canada and back with just the EDL, since it also is proof of citizenship. Whether that is worth an additional $7/year is debatable, but it's similar to the price of a Passport Card, which is equivalent.

Could be useful, if I did that often (or at all, but it is on my list)

It’s more expensive than a Passport book or card. EDLs are only good for 5 years. US Passport is good for 10. WA EDL in 2024 will be $115. A US Passport Book is $130; a card is much cheaper.

I mean, sure, but one is also your drivers license and costs $5/yr more than a standard license or ID.

That’s really the price we should be comparing, because realistically people will have a drivers license or state ID that they would have had to renew. That’s also true for passports, but far more people have and use drivers licenses day to day.

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