After years of delays in implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government will begin enforcing the Real ID Act of 2005 for domestic flights starting in May 2025. All U.S. travelers who are 18 years or older will need to have an extra form of documentation called a Real ID with them and present them to TSA officials and boarding agents when boarding domestic flights.
Many states have already been issuing Real IDs for years. If you’ve already gotten one, you’re all good for boarding domestic flights starting next May. If you don’t have one already, you should look into getting one before the deadline if you’re planning to fly domestically or internationally. Here’s what you need to know about Real IDs so you’re ready to keep flying.
Why Real IDs Exist
Four years after the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Congress passed the Real ID Act of 2005 based on recommendations by the 9/11 Commission. Designed to help improve certain security standards employed by the federal government, the act established minimum security standards for government-issued forms of ID, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards, including “the incorporation of specified data, a common machine-readable technology, and certain anti-fraud security features.” The act also established Real IDs as an official government document with improved security standards designed to reduce identity fraud.
Under the provisions of the act, the TSA can only accept IDs that meet the minimum standards established by the act, such as Real IDs, passports, or military IDs, to allow passengers to board federally regulated commercial planes. Though the TSA was originally going to start enforcing Real IDs as a required form of identification for flights in May 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the federal government to push the enforcement deadline back to May 7, 2025.
What Qualifies As A Real ID
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All Real IDs will feature a star marking on their upper right corners as a proof of their validity. If your identification card or driver’s license doesn’t have this star marking, it’s not considered a form of Real ID and won’t be accepted by the TSA as a valid form of identification to board a domestic flight.
Five states — Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington — now issue new licenses or renew old licenses in the form of Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL), which also meet Real ID requirements. You can tell if your driver’s license is compliant if it features a stamp of an American flag on its upper right side. If it doesn’t have that stamp, it isn’t considered a Real ID equivalent and cannot be used as the sole form of identification for situations that require a Real ID.
How To Get A Real ID
All 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa are now all issuing driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet Real ID requirements. If you still need to get a Real ID, you should set up an appointment at your local DMV to obtain one.
You’ll need to bring certain forms of identification with you to your appointment in order to obtain a Real ID. You should check your state’s DMV website to see what specific types of documents they’ll require, but in general, the DMV will require you to show documentation of your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, two proofs of your principal residence, and lawful status.
If you don’t have your SSA account card available, you can usually present a document that has your SSN on it, such as a W-2 or 1099 form. Proofs of principal residence can include a mortgage contract, lease agreement, home insurance policy, tax forms, a driver’s license, a bank statement, or a utility bill. Proofs of lawful status can include a U.S. birth certificate issued by an authorized federal agency, a certificate of nationalization issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or a valid, unexpired passport.
Conclusion
If you’re planning to fly in the United States after May 7, 2025, you should definitely get a Real ID if you don’t have one already. Once this deadline passes, the TSA will no longer accept standard driver’s licenses or identification cards as a valid form of identification for boarding a domestic flight. In order to board those flights, you’ll either need a Real ID or a valid equivalent such as a passport or military ID.
Thankfully, it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to get a Real ID. You’ll just need to schedule an appointment at your local DMV, gather the necessary documentation your DMV requires for issuing Real IDs, and go to the DMV to fill out the necessary paperwork. To make sure you’re secure flying the wild blue skies, be sure to have your Real ID by your side as you travel.
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