A Real ID is all that’s needed to avoid a potential travel delay come this time next month.
The Transportation Security Administration confirmed to USA TODAY that the agency still had plans to enforce the identification requirement for every adult traveler starting Wednesday, May 7.
“Every air traveler 18 years of age and older must have a REAL ID-compliant ID, which is a state-issued driver’s license, state-issued identification card, or another acceptable form of ID, such as a U.S. passport” by May 7, 2025, the TSA said in a statement last month. “If you do not have a REAL ID by May 7, your air travel may be delayed.”
All Real ID documents, including driver’s licenses, have a stamp on the right-hand corner to indicate that it is federally compliant. Without the stamp, the identification document fails to adhere to the “minimum security standards” set by The Real ID Act of 2005, which prevents travelers from flying domestically and from entering certain federal facilities without meeting the new identification requirements.
The travel requirement was originally slated to take effect in 2020 but was pushed back until May 2025 over “backlogged transactions” at Motor Vehicle Division offices nationwide throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mountains of paperwork, according to the department, impacted agencies’ ability to make any real progress on the Real ID rollout.
But this time, the deadline is really real, which means federal agencies, including the TSA, will not accept driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards that are not Real ID-compliant.
Here’s what to know about Real ID, including what it is and how to get one.
The federal government was able to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses,” following a recommendation made to Congress in 2005 by the 9/11 Commission.
The Real ID Act established “minimum security standards” for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, prohibiting certain federal agencies from accepting official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.
Any U.S. Citizen, or permanent resident over the age of 18, needs a Real ID to fly by May 7, 2025.
Any person who fails to procure a Real ID by the enforcement deadline may experience delays or be barred from flying domestically. If you already have another form of TSA-approved identification like an up-to-date passport, you probably do not need a Real ID.
TSA-approved alternatives include:
The best way to find out exactly what documentation is required to obtain a Real ID is by visiting your local DMV or MVD website.
But at a minimum, you will need to provide documentation with your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, proof of address of principal residence and lawful status.
Individual states may pose additional requirements, so contact your state’s driver’s licensing agency online, or in-person for additional information or assistance.
Driver’s licensing agencies in all states and Washington, D.C., are issuing Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses and IDs. It can take about two weeks, or 15 business days, to process the request at your local MVD office.
A stamp on the right-hand corner of the driver’s license or identification card shows that it is federally compliant. The symbol stamped on your Real ID compliant-document will vary, depending on the state where it was issued.
Non-compliant cards, per TSA, have no star and include language such as “Not for Real ID purposes” or “Not for Federal ID.”
“Legacy cards,” issued before a state began to issue Real ID-compliant cards, have neither a star nor noncompliant language.
Additional information about Real ID can be found online or through your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website.
