This time for real.
Real ID is coming. It’s time to get serious about keeping your identity up to date.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have just released a notice on Federal Register on implementing new security standards that state driver’s licenses and identification cards must meet to be used for federal purposes — including passing through airport security checkpoints — beginning in spring 2025.
But there’s a catch: the law won’t be fully implemented until 2027.
After many times delayDHS now says its latest deadline, May 7, 2025, has been finalized for implementation. Real ID required for domestic flights. This regulation will officially take effect after a period of public comment.
Starting May 7, 2025, people presenting a driver’s license or state-issued identification card at the airport must present a Real ID-compliant card. Passengers without a compliant ID may face delays in ID verification; while the phased rollout will still allow them to enter secure areas under certain conditions during the rollout, the deadline for regular requirements has been set, a DHS spokesperson told TPG.
A TSA spokesperson said the proposed new rules would add flexibility for full implementation. “…[T]His proposal would give federal agencies the flexibility to enforce REAL ID,” and “…to prevent travelers (in particular) from being turned away.”
If you read the fine print signed by Administrator David P. Pekoske, local governments will have up to two years to fully implement the new requirements:
“This proposed rule acknowledges these concerns and would provide flexibility by allowing agencies, over a period of up to two years, to implement REAL ID-based enforcement in a phased approach appropriate to their specific operations.”
That means some states may give people a little more time to get the right paperwork to enter government offices and get through security at airports.
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Are you Real ID compliant?
The good news is that you may already be “compliant.” You can tell if your driver’s license or ID card is Real ID compliant by looking for the star in the upper right or left corner, as shown in the image below.
Here are some examples of compliant ID symbols.
If you don’t see an asterisk on your ID or if there’s small text on the document like “Not for Federal Identification” or “Not for Federal Use,” then it’s not accepted for Real ID.
You can use this tool to determine if you are in compliance. It will ask you a series of questions to determine if you are authorized to travel. Remember that a US passport qualifies as real ID in all cases.
If you need to apply for a new state-issued license or ID card that is approved for Real ID, you can simply renew your current ID. Just be sure to specify that you want the Real ID-approved version. Some states still issue standard licenses or IDs that do not include Real ID provisions.
Also note that even if you have Clear or TSA PreCheckYou still need to have an ID card/CCCD that meets the new requirements of the ID card/CCCD Law.
Once the Real ID Act is fully implemented, you will not be allowed to pass through TSA checkpoints without Real ID-compliant identification.
The following are alternatives to a state-issued Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card:
- US Passport Card
- DHS Trusted Traveler Card (Global EntryNexus, SENTRI, FAST)
- Permanent resident card
- United States Department of Defense ID
- Border Crossing Card
- State-issued enhanced driver’s license
- Tribally issued, federally recognized photo identification
- HSPD-12 PIV Card
- Passport issued by a foreign government
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Canadian Indian and Northern Affairs Agency card
- Transport staff identification documents
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- US Merchant Marine Certificate
The last line
The federal government is meeting a May 7, 2025, deadline to establish new security ID requirements at airports and other government facilities after years of delays. However, there will be some wiggle room in the new rules to give local governments more time to fully comply with the new rules.
You should check to see if your state-issued ID is Real ID compliant and make a plan to fix it if it isn’t. It looks like the government is finally getting serious about enforcing the law passed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks 23 years ago this week.
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