The Transportation Security Administration has confirmed the date the Real ID will be required for domestic air travel.
After multiple delays, the mandate is final and travelers without a Real ID or other approved alternative will be turned away at TSA checkpoints, according to the TSA.
What to know
The Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005 to improve security standards for license issuance, will take effect on May 7, 2025, according to the TSA.
Two decades after its passage, the requirement is set to reshape domestic air travel.
The law was set to take effect in 2020, but due to “mountains of paperwork,” according to USA Today, the deadline was pushed back to May, 2025. Talk of the Real ID has circulated for years, but the time to act has come.
“Identity verification is foundational to security,” said Transportation Security Department’s administrator, David Pekokse, in a statement. “I urge those who use a driver’s license or state-issued identity card as their primary form of identification to access federal facilities or board commercial passenger aircraft, to ensure these credentials are REAL ID-compliant. We are committed to engaging with the public, licensing jurisdictions, and states to facilitate a smooth transition to REAL ID enforcement beginning May 7, 2025, which this rule supports.”
What is a Real ID?
According to the DHS, “The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.”
If you’re unsure whether your ID is a Real ID, check the upper corners for a red star or star cutout. This small but significant symbol marks compliance with the new rules.
If your ID is labeled “federal limits apply” or “not for federal identification,” you do not have a Real ID according to the TSA.
How do I get a Real ID?
To obtain a Real ID, you’ll need, at minimum, proof of your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, address and lawful status, according to the DHS.
The process may vary by state. For further instruction, visit your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to find detailed instructions.
However, if you find yourself in a time crunch and can’t secure a Real ID in time, or do not have a drivers license, other compliant forms of identification will suffice according to TSA.
Keep in mind that Real IDs are only required to travelers 18 years and older.
Other documents supported
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- Permanent resident card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized, Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation worker identification credential
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)