travel driver's license ky

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How to get a REAL ID and use it for travel

The REAL ID Act is a law that sets higher security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards (IDs).

Why upgrade your license to a REAL ID?

Beginning May 7, 2025, if you have not upgraded your driver’s license or state-issued ID to be REAL ID-compliant, you will not be able to use it to:

• Board federally regulated commercial aircraft
• Access federal government facilities or military installations
• Enter nuclear power plants

Visit the REAL ID website for more details and frequently asked questions .

Check to see if your license or state ID is already REAL ID-compliant

If your driver's license or state ID has a star in the upper right-hand corner, it is already REAL-ID-compliant. There is nothing more you need to do.

How to get a REAL ID

When you apply for or renew your driver’s license or state identification card, you can choose to make it REAL ID-compliant. Find and visit your state's driver's licensing agency website to see what documentation you will need. Your new card will have the REAL ID star marking at the top right.

Using REAL ID and other ID options to board a plane

If you do not upgrade your license or state ID, you can use a passport or one of these other acceptable forms of identification to fly . 

Can you still get a non-REAL ID-compliant license or state ID?

You will still be able to get a driver's license or state ID card that is not REAL ID-compliant. But you will not be able to use it for air travel or to get into federal facilities or military installations. Find and visit your state's driver's licensing agency website to see how to get a non-REAL ID-compliant license or state ID.

LAST UPDATED: December 18, 2023

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Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They will get you the answer or let you know where to find it.

Kentucky’s Real IDs: What You Need to Know

Update on kentucky’s real id.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air travelers in Kentucky were given another year to acquire a REAL ID. Beginning October 1, 2021, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID license to board domestic flights in the U.S., unless they have a valid passport or military I.D. Applicants requesting a REAL ID must present documentation verifying their identity, social security number, and residency. Click here for a list of acceptable documents.

Background About the Real ID in Kentucky

Congress adopted the federal 2005 Real ID Act as an enhanced security measure in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Real ID Act requires states to adopt additional security safeguards for state IDs before they will be accepted by federal agencies.

Matt Henderson, Kentucky Department of Vehicle Registration commissioner, explained, ‘The driving force behind Kentucky’s ‘ new, upgraded licenses, permits and IDs is security.’ The program known as Confident Kentucky will strengthen the security of current Kentucky licenses including driver’s licenses, personal ID cards, and driver’s permits, to help prevent fraud, and to make IDs more difficult to forge.

When Can I Apply for Kentucky’s Real ID?

The general public began applying for the new IDs in January 2019. Due to the shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there will likely be delays in the application, production, and enforcement processes. To find the latest information about this evolving situation, it is recommended you visit drive.ky.gov , an official government-run website for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

What’s Different About The New Real IDs?

All new licenses and IDs will have a special mark showing they are compliant with the new federal law. The new licenses and IDs will also have special Kentucky symbols including the state flower, the state seal, and the Kentucky Capitol building. The new IDs will feature black and white, rather than color, portraits.

Which Real ID Do I Need?

Kentuckians must choose between two types of IDs: the standard license (driver’s license, driver’s permit, or personal ID card) or the voluntary travel ID . The voluntary travel ID allows Kentuckians to drive a vehicle, fly domestically, and enter nuclear power plants and military bases. The standard license is an upgrade of the current driver’s license, and grants driving privileges. You will not be able to board a plane for a domestic flight with only a standard license.

Kentucky officials recommend you choose the new travel ID if you travel a lot, and don’t want to carry your passport for both domestic and international travel. If you only need a license for general identification purposes, and to drive, apply for the standard driver’s license.

What About Children Who Travel by Airplane?

Children under 18 years of age do not need their own travel ID so long as they are traveling with an adult who has the proper travel ID.

Where Do I Apply for The New ID?

You can apply for your new license beginning January 2019 at your county circuit court clerk’s office where you normally go to renew your driver’s license. When you apply, you will be given a temporary ID and will receive your new one in the mail within 5 to 10 business days.

What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Real ID?

For standard licenses, you will need one proof of residency in Kentucky, one proof of identity, and one proof of Social Security number. The travel ID requires two documents proving Kentucky residency, one proof of identity, and one proof of Social Security number.

Examples of acceptable documents include an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, or a passport to prove your identity, while a Social Security card or a W2 can prove your Social Security number. A utility bill from your home, a tax return, or a signed lease or deed can prove residency.

For a complete list of appropriate documents to satisfy the proof requirements, follow this link: https://drive.ky.gov/Docs/AcceptableDocumentsVTID.pdf

How Long is the Real ID Valid?

Initially, you can choose between a 4-year and an 8-year ID. Beginning in 2023, all new IDs will be valid for 8 years.

How Much Do Kentucky’s Real IDs Cost?

The cost will depend upon whether you choose a 4-year or an 8-year ID, and depend upon which ID you choose. The prices listed below are for 8-year IDs:

• Standard driver’s license: $43.00
• Standard motorcycle license: $43.00
• Standard personal ID card: $23.00
• Voluntary Travel ID driver’s license: $48.00
• Voluntary Travel ID motorcycle license: $48.00
• Voluntary Travel ID personal ID: $28.00
• 4-year licenses and travel IDs will cost half as much.
• Beginning in 2023, only 8-year IDs will be available.

TLDR: Kentucky’s Real IDs

From now until October 1, 2021, the new standard driver’s license, or your old unexpired Kentucky driver’s license, will allow you to travel on domestic flights. After October 1, 2021 , you will need either the new travel ID, or you must carry your passport, to travel domestically.

Initially, it was announced that starting in January 2019, Kentucky would finally be compliant with the federal 2005 REAL ID Act mandating additional security requirements for state-issued IDs. However, this was changed drastically by the impact of COVID-19 on government offices and changes in scheduling. Specifically, most or all (in some cases) of the buildings responsible for producing the Real IDs were closed or operating under restricted hours and visitation rules for the general public.

For additional information visit drive.ky.gov.

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Should you get a voluntary Kentucky travel ID? We answer your questions!

Starting next year, Kentucky is rolling out new driver’s licenses and a new voluntary travel ID that can be used to fly domestically.

The state is making the changes to comply with federal law that requires stronger security on identification cards. You'll have a choice between a driver's license and a travel ID; both are good for driving but the travel ID can also be used at airports to fly within the country. Starting in October 2020, your current driver's license will not be accepted by TSA. 

So, what does this mean for you?

Join our discussion at 10:30 am. Wednesday on Facebook Live where reporters Tom Novelly and Darcy Costello will answer your questions. 

Tune in here, or visit facebook.com/courierjournal.  

Background: Here's how you can get a new Kentucky driver's license so you can fly

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Meet your new ID. The one that's ready to fly.

Be your REAL ID self by May 7, 2025.

Countdown to REAL ID Enforcement

Are you real id ready.

On May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.

Find out if you’re REAL ID ready with our interactive tool!

• Are you planning to fly domestically or visit a Federal facility after May 7, 2025?
• Does your Drivers License / ID have a star (and/or flag) or say "Enhanced"?

You're REAL ID ready! You will need this ID to board domestic flights and may need this or another acceptable form of identification to visit federal facilities.

• Do you have a passport?

A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities.

• Click here to see if you have one of these acceptable forms of identification that may also be used to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities (link will open in a new window). Do you have one of these?
• These alternate forms of identification may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID at the airport to board domestic flights and when visiting federal facilities.

You're not REAL ID ready! Important: if you want to board domestic flights or visit federal facilities beginning May 7, 2025 you must have a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification. Click on your state or territory in the map below to visit your local DMV to learn more.

You might not need a REAL ID. Click on your state or territory in the map below to visit your local DMV to learn more.

Map out your path to REAL ID readiness by May 7, 2025.

Click on your home state or territory to make a plan with your local DMV to be REAL ID ready.

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Select a state or territory:  -- Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Virgin Islands Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Deadline: May 7, 2025

Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge? What to know about collapsed Baltimore bridge

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge , a major transportation link in the Baltimore area, sparked a massive search and rescue effort early Tuesday morning.

The bridge has been a critical transportation passageway along the East Coast for decades. Video captured the collapse , after Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, collided with one of the bridge's pillars.

The ship had caught fire, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

Here's what to know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Follow here for live updates → Baltimore's Key Bridge collapses after ship collision; rescue effort underway

Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge located?

The bridge crosses over the Patapsco River on I-695 and is the final link on the Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority .

It is the outermost of the three tollways that cross Baltimore's Harbor.

How long is the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

The 4-lane bridge structure alone is 1.6 miles long. The facility also includes the Curtis Creek Drawbridge. Including approach roadways, the entire stretch is around 10.9 miles long, MDTA said.

Why did a ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

The ship, a container vessel chartered by Maersk, apparently lost power a few minutes before striking the bridge, a senior U.S. official told USA TODAY .

No Maersk crew or personnel were onboard the vessel when it struck the bridge, according to a statement from the company. It was operated by a charter company, Synergy Group, and owned by Grace Ocean Pte., based in Singapore, and ultimately bound for Sri Lanka.

Accidents like this, called Marine casualties, are not uncommon, the official told USA TODAY, with an allision (an immobile object being struck by a ship) occurring about every 10 years or so. Investigators will likely look into the cause of the power outage and whether there was a mechanical failure on the ship.

How old is the Key Bridge in Baltimore?

The Francis Scott Key Bridge opened in March 1977, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority .

What type of bridge is the Francis Scott Key?

The steel-arched bridge was the second-longest continuous-truss bridge span in the world when it was built and remains the second longest in the United States and third in the world,  according to the American Civil Engineering Society .

When was the Francis Scott Key Bridge built?

Construction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge began in 1972.

Francis Scott Key Bridge has a deep history

According to the MDTA, the bridge crosses over the Patapsco River, near where Francis Scott Key, the bridge's namesake, was inspired to write the lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner.

Key is believed to have witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry on the night of Sept. 12, 1814, within 100 yards of the modern-day bridge. That battle is what inspired him to the national anthem.

How vital is the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

The bridge is critical to East Coast shipping. The port’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to a Maryland government website.

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March 27, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Elise Hammond , Tori B. Powell and Aditi Sangal , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Here's what you should know about the Key Bridge collapse

From CNN staff

Officials recovered the bodies of two construction workers who were on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed early Tuesday morning after a 984-foot-long cargo ship collided into a pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the collapse Wednesday " a global crisis ."

"The national economy and the world's economy depends on the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country," Moore said.

Here's what you should know:

• The victims: The six people who are presumed dead were from Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr, the superintendent of Maryland State Police. Two bodies were recovered and have been identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes from Mexico and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera from Guatemala. The two workers were filling potholes on the bridge and were later found trapped in a red pickup truck in about 25 feet of water, Butler said. The FBI is handling notifying the victims' families, Butler said.
• Recovery efforts: Authorities are pausing search efforts for the four other workers who are presumed dead, because additional vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris, making it unsafe for divers, Butler said. Once salvage operations clear the debris, divers will search for more remains, he said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the fatal incident, according to the agency's chair Jennifer Homendy. During a Wednesday news conference, Homendy said there were 21 crew members and two pilots on board the Dali cargo ship when it crashed into the bridge. She also said a senior NTSB hazmat investigator identified 56 containers of hazardous material, and that some containers are in the water. The agency received six hours of voyage data from the ship and the investigation could take 12 to 24 months to complete, Homendy said. She emphasized that NTSB will not analyze information collected or provide conclusions while on scene of the collapse.
• Looking forward: Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge will not be "quick or easy" but that it will get done. He said there are four main focus points ahead: reopening the port, dealing with supply chain issues until its reopening, rebuilding the bridge and dealing with traffic issues until the bridge is rebuilt. Biden  pledged the full support  of the federal government in the response and recovery efforts. His administration has already conveyed a sense of urgency to open up federal funding to remove debris and ultimately rebuild the bridge. Maryland has submitted a request to the Biden administration for emergency relief funds "to assist in our work going forward," Moore said Wednesday.

It's almost impossible to place people on the bow of ship due to the unstable structure, fire official says

 From CNN's Sarah Engel

Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said Wednesday that the cargo ship's bridge structure and containers at the bow remain unstable.

"It's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, and very dangerous, to place people on the bow of that boat right now," Wallace told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

"Naturally, we're still very cognizant of the fact that there are hazardous materials on board the vessel itself," Wallace said, alluding to the National Transportation Safety Board saying earlier that 56 containers were carrying hazardous materials.

Wallace said his team is relying heavily on aerial recognizance, including drones. "That's the only way we're able to see in," he said.  

He added that the aerial surveillance has "been able to really assure us right now we have no [chemical] reactions on board." 

"It's just utter devastation," NTSB chief says of the bridge collapse site

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, called the site of the Key Bridge collapse "devastating."

"It's pretty devastating, certainly, seeing not just what's going on with the cargo containers, but just looking at what was a bridge span — three bridge spans that is pretty much gone. It's just utter devastation," she said at Wednesday evening's news briefing.

She added that she is thinking of families who lost loved ones and those who are waiting to reunite with their lived ones.

NTSB interviewed the Dali's captain and some other crew members today, agency chief says

The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed the ship's captain, his mate, the chief engineer and one other engineer today, according to Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The two pilots on board the Dali at the time of collision will be interviewed tomorrow, she added.

Cargo ship's voyage data recorder is basic when compared to an airplane's, NTSB chair says

From CNN's Tori B. Powell

The voyage data recorder on the cargo ship Dali was a "newer model" but is considered basic when compared to that on an airplane, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"But it is very basic compared to say, a flight data recorder, where we would have 1,000 parameters," she said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The NTSB chief investigator Marcel Muise added:

"It's not a ship-wide system recorder, so most of the sensors that are being recorded are from the bridge. So things like GPS, the audio, rudder feedback, rudder commands are recorded on there. But not engineering, the temperature of each cylinder, power distribution sensors."

There were no tug boats with Dali at the time of the collision. That's normal, NTSB chief says

There were no tugs with Dali when the cargo vessel collided with Baltimore's Key Bridge, which is normal protocol, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

Remember: At 01:26:39 on Tuesday, Dali's pilot made a general very high frequency (VHF) radio call for tugs in the vicinity to assist, the NTSB investigator Marcel Muise had said.

"The tugs help the vessel leave the dock, leave the port and get into the main ship channel. And then they leave. Once it's on its way, it's a straight shot through the channel. So there are no tugs with the vessel at the time. So they were calling for tugs," she said.

NTSB chair says she saw some containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said she did see some of the 56 containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water.

When asked how many

When asked how many containers of hazardous materials were in the water, Homendy said:

"I did see some containers in the water, and some breached significantly on the vessel itself," she said. "I don't have an exact number, but it's something that we can provide in an update."

Homendy said that a preliminary report should be out in two to four weeks.

This post has been updated with more quotes from Homendy.

Bridge did not have any redundancy, unlike the preferred method for building bridges today, NTSB chair says

Baltimore's Key Bridge did not have any redundancy, which is included in the preferred method of building bridges in the present day, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"The bridge is a fracture critical," she explained. "What that means is if a member fails that would likely cause a portion of, or the entire bridge, to collapse, there's no redundancy. The preferred method for building bridges today is that there is redundancy built in, whether that's transmitting loads to another member or some sort of structural redundancy. This bridge did not have redundancy," Homendy said.

There are 17,468 fracture critical bridges in the United States out of 615,000 bridges total, she said, citing the Federal Highway Administration.

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What we know about the container ship that crashed into the Baltimore bridge

• The ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday was the Singapore-flagged Dali.
• The container ship had been chartered by Maersk, the Danish shipping company. 
• Two people were recovered from the water but six remain missing, authorities said.

A container ship crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing its collapse into the Patapsco River.

A livestream showed vehicles traveling on the Francis Scott Key Bridge just moments before the impact at 1:28 a.m. ET.

Baltimore first responders called the situation a "developing mass casualty event" and a "dire emergency," per The Associated Press.

James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore Fire Department, said in a press conference that two people had been recovered from the water.

One was uninjured, but the other was transported to a local trauma center in a "very serious condition."

Wallace said up to 20 people were thought to have fallen into the river and some six people were still missing.

Richard Worley, Baltimore's police chief, said there was "no indication" the collision was purposeful or an act of terrorism.

Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, declared a state of emergency around 6 a.m. ET. He said his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary.

"We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration," Moore added.

Understanding why the bridge collapsed could have implications for safety, in both the shipping and civil engineering sectors.

The container ship is the Singapore-flagged Dali, which is about 984 feet long, and 157 feet wide, per a listing on VesselFinder.

An unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report said that the ship "lost propulsion" as it was leaving port, ABC News reported.

The crew notified officials that they had lost control and warned of a possible collision, the report said, per the outlet.

The Dali's owner is listed as Grace Ocean, a Singapore-based firm, and its manager is listed as Synergy Marine, which is also headquartered in Singapore.

Shipping news outlet TradeWinds reported that Grace Ocean confirmed the Dali was involved in the collapse, but is still determining what caused the crash.

Related stories

Staff for Grace Ocean declined to comment on the collision when contacted by Business Insider.

"All crew members, including the two pilots have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries. There has also been no pollution," Synergy Marine said in a statement.

The company did not respond to a request for further comment from BI.

'Horrified'

Maersk chartered the Dali, with a schedule for the ship on its website.

"We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," the Danish shipping company said in a statement.

Maersk added: "We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed."

Per ship tracking data, the Dali left Baltimore on its way to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, at around 1 a.m., about half an hour before the crash.

The Port of Baltimore is thought to be the largest in the US for roll-on/roll-off ships carrying trucks and trailers.

Barbara Rossi, associate professor of engineering science at the University of Oxford, told BI the force of the impact on one of the bridge's supporting structures "must have been immense" to lead to the collapse.

Dr Salvatore Mercogliano, a shipping analyst and maritime historian at Campbell University, told BI: "It appears Dali left the channel while outbound. She would have been under the control of the ship's master with a Chesapeake Bay pilot onboard to advise the master.

"The deviation out of the channel is probably due to a mechanical issue as the ship had just departed the port, but you cannot rule out human error as that was the cause of the Ever Forward in 2022 just outside of Baltimore."

He was referring to the incident two years ago when the container ship became grounded for a month in Chesapeake Bay after loading up cargo at the Port of Baltimore.

The US Coast Guard found the incident was caused by pilot error, cellphone use, and "inadequate bridge resource management."

Claudia Norrgren, from the maritime research firm Veson Nautical, told BI: "The industry bodies who are here to protect against incidents like this, such as the vessel's flag state, classification society, and regulatory bodies, will step in and conduct a formal investigation into the incident. Until then, it'll be very hard for anyone to truly know what happened on board."

This may not have been the first time the Dali hit a structure.

In 2016, maritime blogs such as Shipwreck Log and ship-tracking site VesselFinder posted videos of what appears to be the stern of the same, blue-hulled container vessel scraping against a quay in Antwerp.

A representative for the Port of Antwerp told BI the Dali did collide with a quay there eight years ago but couldn't "give any information about the cause of the accident."

The Dali is listed as being built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.

Watch: The shipwreck at the center of a battle between China and the Philippines

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• International

March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision

By Helen Regan , Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Rachel Ramirez , Elise Hammond , Aditi Sangal , Tori B. Powell , Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Crew member on DALI said everyone on board was safe hours after bridge collapse, official says

From CNN’s Amy Simonson

A crew member on the DALI cargo ship sent a message hours after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday saying everybody on board was safe, according to Apostleship of the Sea director Andy Middleton.

Middleton, who spent time with the captain of the DALI Monday, told CNN’s Laura Coates he reached out to a crew member after hearing about the incident Tuesday morning. 

He said there were 22 members aboard the ship from India who were setting sail earlier Tuesday morning and were heading toward Sri Lanka.

“I was able to reach out to a crew member very early this morning around 5:30 (a.m. ET) or 6 (a.m. ET) and get a message to them asking if they were OK,” he said. “That crew member responded within just a few minutes advising that the crew was safe, and everybody that [was] on board was safe.”

Middleton was told by the ship's captain Monday that the vessel was going to take a longer route to avoid risks along the Yemen coast.

“When I was out with the captain yesterday, we were talking while we were driving, and he advised that they were sailing down and around the tip of South Africa in order to avoid the incidents that are going on off the Yemen coast, and it was a safer way to go,” he said.

Middleton said the  Apostleship of the Sea  is a ministry to seafarers with members that spend time in the port and on the vessels as a friendly face to the seafarers that visit the Port of Baltimore, “taking care of their needs to make sure that they're reminded of their God-given human dignity when they're here in Baltimore.”

Search operation ends in "heartbreaking conclusion," Maryland governor says. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse came after a 984-foot cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters Tuesday evening it's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day."

Late Tuesday, it was discovered that two of the construction workers who went missing after the bridge collapsed were from Guatemala , the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Tuesday.

Here's what you should know to get up to speed:

• The victims: Eight people were on the bridge  when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and was later  discharged , fire official and the medical center said.
• The incident: Video shows the moment the entire bridge structure falls into the water, as the ship hits one of the bridge's pillars. CNN analysis shows that the  ships lights flickered  and it veered off course before it hit the bridge. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship were able to issue a "mayday" before colliding into the bridge, which allowed the authorities to stop incoming traffic from going onto the bridge.
• Response efforts: Earlier, dive teams from various state and local agencies were brought in to assist in search-and-rescue operations, according to Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr.. The mission started with 50 personnel and continued to grow before the Coast Guard announced Tuesday evening that it was suspending its active search-and-rescue operation and transitioning to a "different phase."
• The investigation: Authorities are still working to establish exactly how the crash occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board will look into  how the bridge was built  and investigate the structure itself. It will "take time to dig through" whether the bridge had ever been  flagged for any safety deficiencies , NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.
• Rebuilding the bridge: US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the path to rebuilding the bridge will be "long and expensive." Senior White House adviser Tom Perez told reporters Tuesday “it’s too early” to tell how long it will take to rebuild the bridge. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he wants the federal government to bear the full cost of rebuilding the collapsed bridge, noting that it will not wait for the company who owns the container ship DALI to shoulder the costs. Funding could come from the Federal Highway Administration as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but it may require additional funding from Congress.

2 of the missing construction workers from bridge collapse were from Guatemala, foreign ministry says

From CNN’s Allison Gordon, Flora Charner and Amy Simonson

Two of the construction workers missing from the bridge collapse in Baltimore were from Guatemala, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday.

Those missing included a 26-year-old originally from San Luis, Petén. The other is a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the statement said.

The ministry said both were part of a work team “repairing the asphalt on the bridge at the time of the accident.”

The statement did not name the two people missing, but it said the country’s consul general in Maryland “went to the area where the families of those affected are located,” where he hopes to be able to meet with the brothers of both missing people.

The consulate   also issued a statement Tuesday saying its consul general in Maryland "remains in contact with local authorities," and also confirmed that two of those missing "were of Guatemalan origin.”

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning when a cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

State and federal officials have not released information about the identities of any of the six missing workers.

Underwater mapping of bridge collapse area to begin Wednesday, Baltimore fire chief says

From CNN's Jennifer Henderson

Search operations near the Key Bridge collapse have shut down for the night due to dangerous conditions, but the process of underwater mapping with many local, state and federal dive teams will begin Wednesday, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Wallace said the portion of the Patapsco River is “tidal influenced, so it goes through tide cycles just like the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay does.”

The water depths in the area under the bridge vary from 40 feet to more than 60 feet, Wallace said. The deeper the divers go, the colder the temperatures they encounter, and the visibility is zero, he added.

 Wallace said when crews arrived Tuesday morning, the surface water temperatures of the Patapsco River were about 47 degrees with an air temperature of 44-45 degrees.

Here's what you should know about the historic Francis Scott Key Bridge

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a massive container ship lost power and crashed into the iconic Baltimore bridge, sending people and vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead and the Coast Guard has ended its active search and rescue mission.

Here's what you should know about the historic bridge:

• How old?: The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also referred to as just the Key Bridge, opened to traffic in March 1977 and is the final link in the Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA.) It crosses over the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River, where former US attorney Francis Scott Key found inspiration to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner, the MDTA says.
• How long?: The bridge was 1.6 miles long when standing, MDTA reports.
• Traffic volume: More than 30,000 people commuted daily on the bridge, according to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
• How much did it cost?: The bridge cost $60.3 million to build, MDTA says. Since its collapse, President Joe Biden said he’s committed to helping rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.
• About the port: Baltimore ranks as the ninth biggest US port for international cargo. It handled a record 52.3 million tons, valued at $80.8 billion, in 2023. According to the Maryland state government, the port supports 15,330 direct jobs and 139,180 jobs in related services.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The ship is about 984 feet long , according to MarineTraffic data. That’s the length of almost three football fields.

Baltimore woman says bridge collapse was "like a piece of family dissolved"

From CNN's Kit Maher

For longtime Baltimore resident, Ceely, who opted not to share her last name, seeing footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  Tuesday was deeply personal.

“I was very heavy-hearted,” Ceely told CNN. “Very tearful, thinking about the families whose loved ones may be in the water and just remembering when the bridge was constructed, and it was just like a piece of family dissolved.”

Ceely was at a prayer group Tuesday morning when she saw the news. She recalled being afraid when she first crossed the bridge while in Ford Maverick in 1975, but grew to like it because it saved time on the road.

“It was a main artery just like a blood line. It was a main artery to the other side of town. It was awesome. It beat going through the city all the time,” she said.

Elder Rashad A. Singletary , a senior pastor who led Tuesday night’s vigil at Mt. Olive Baptist Church told CNN that many church members watched the bridge's construction.

"It’s a part of the community. A lot of our individuals in our congregation drive that bridge to go to work, and so now it’s really a life changing moment,” he said.

"Heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," Maryland governor says as Coast Guard ended search operation

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

More than 18 hours after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said it was a heartbreaking conclusion after the Coast Guard ended the search-and-rescue operation for the six people who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

It's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," he said.

"We put every single asset possible — air, land and sea" to find the missing people, he told reporters on Tuesday evening. "While even though we're moving on now to a recovery mission, we're still fully committed to making sure that we're going to use every single asset to now bring a sense of closure to the families," the governor added.

6 people presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse, Coast Guard says. Here's what we know

As the sun sets in Baltimore, six people are presumed dead after a major bridge collapsed overnight Tuesday, according to the Coast Guard. The Francis Scott Key Bridge came down around 1:30 a.m. ET after a cargo ship collided with it.

The Coast Guard said it has ended its active search-and-rescue operation for the missing construction workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

• What we know: Eight people were on the bridge when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and has been discharged . The Coast Guard has been searching for six other people. But, around 7:30 p.m. ET, the Coast Guard said it has transitioned to a “different phase” of operation, now it did “not believe we are going to find any of these individuals alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. The vessel is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The US Embassy in Singapore has been in contact with the country’s Maritime and Port Authority, a State Department spokesperson said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the collapse. A team of 24 experts will dig into nautical operations, vessel operations, safety history records, owners, operators, company policy and any safety management systems or programs, said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. A voyage data recorder will be critical to the investigation, she added. 
• Vehicles on the bridge: Officials are also working to verify the numbers of how many cars and people were on the bridge, Homendy said. Gov. Wes Moore said the quick work of authorities in closing the bridge had saved lives . Radio traffic captured how authorities stopped traffic and worked to clear the bridge seconds before the impact . Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said there is a “ distinct possibility ” more vehicles were on the bridge, but authorities have not found any evidence to support that.
• Looking ahead: NTSB will look into how the bridge was built and investigate the structure itself, including if it was flagged for any safety deficiencies , Homendy said. The federal government has also directed its resources to help with search and rescue, to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge, Vice President Kamala Harris said . Earlier, President Joe Biden said t he federal government will pay to fix the bridge.
• The economy: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned the collapse will have a serious impact on supply chains . Until the channel is reopened, ships will likely already be changing course for other East Coast ports. Ocean carriers are already being diverted from the Port of Baltimore, where the bridge collapsed, to the Port of Virginia to “keep trade moving."

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