Getting Real About the Real ID

January 7, 2025

Anyone planning to fly has until May 7, 2025, to obtain a state-issued identification card or driver’s license with a Real ID seal, per the Department of Homeland Security. (Unless you have a valid passport.)

Any state-issued identification document without the seal 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.

The requirement was originally set to take effect in 2020 but was pushed back until May 2025 over “backlogged transactions” at Motor Vehicle Division offices nationwide amid 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 now the mountains have been managed and the May 7 deadline is firm. Which means federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will not accept driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards that are not Real ID-compliant.

Why the Real ID?

The Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses,” according to DHS.

This 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 individual over the age of 18 who does not have another TSA-approved form of identification to fly domestically must have a Real ID compliant identification card, or driver’s license by the enforcement date. If you already have another form of TSA-approved form of identification like a passport, then you probably do not need a Real ID.

TSA-approved alternatives include:

U.S. passport
U.S. passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
Border crossing card
An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
HSPD-12 PIV card
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)

Real ID Requirements

According to DHS, the best way to find out “exactly what documentation is required to obtain a REAL ID” is to visit your state’s driver’s licensing agency 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 DMV office.

All Real IDs will feature a stamp on the right-hand corner to show that it is federally compliant. The symbol stamped on your Real ID card will vary, depending on the state it was issued in.