Here's when you'll need REAL ID to go through US airport security
The deadline for states to comply with REAL ID requirements for driver's licenses and ID cards is quickly approaching.
The act was delayed most recently from May 2023 to May 7, 2025 – giving Americans more time to obtain compliant ID cards that will eventually be necessary to board flights at U.S. airports.
Why was the REAL ID Act passed into law?
The concept of REAL ID came about in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government establish standards for driver's licenses and identification cards that states and territories must satisfy.
To that end, the bipartisan REAL ID Act was enacted in 2005 with an initial deadline of May 2008 for the ID provisions of the law. Among the security standards required by the law are anti-counterfeiting technology, measures to prevent insider fraud, and the use of documentary evidence and record checks to validate that a person is who they claim to be.
Miami, Florida, Miami International Airport, Homeland Security REAL ID message. (Jeffrey Greenberg/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
REAL ID Act delays and extensions
However, states' resistance to the law's requirements and implementation difficulties has led to repeated extensions of the REAL ID compliance deadline, first to 2009, then 2011, followed by further extensions into 2013 and 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for the REAL ID rollout, as some states temporarily suspended renewals for driver's licenses and ID cards. The aftermath of the pandemic has prompted follow-up extensions to October 2021 and later to May 3, 2023.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the latest deadline extension to May 2025 "will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card." He added, "DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely."
Where do you need to have REAL ID?
As of 2022, all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and four of the five U.S. territories covered by the REAL ID Act are issuing compliant driver's licenses and ID cards. However, several states were only certified as compliant within the last few years, meaning that many residents still have older IDs that don't meet the standards.
The U.S. Travel Association provided a statement to FOX Business from Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy, that praised the decision to extend the deadline: "Extending the REAL ID deadline is the right decision, and U.S. Travel appreciates DHS leadership for recognizing that with 100 million Americans still lacking a REAL ID, now is not the time to create significant travel disruptions. This delay helps to give travelers the time necessary to get the credential needed to fly domestically."
"It remains critical that DHS identify ways to modernize identification standards to make the entire travel process more efficient. We will continue working with our partners in the travel industry and DHS to advance these solutions and get the traveling public fully prepared for the implementation of the REAL ID Act in 2025," Barnes' statement concluded.
What counts as REAL ID?
According to the Washington Department of Licensing, the following identification options meet REAL ID standards and can be used to board domestic flights:
- Enhanced driver license (EDL)
- Enhanced identification card (EID)
- U.S. Military ID
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Passport Card
- Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- Federally recognized tribal-issued photo ID
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- Foreign Passport
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a complete list of documents accepted for air travel.
Does an enhanced driver license or enhanced identification count as REAL ID?
Yes, in Washington state enhanced driver licenses (EDLs) and enhanced identification cards (EIDs) meet the federal requirements under the REAL ID Act. They are alternatives to passports or passport cards for re-entry into the U.S. at land and sea borders between the US, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
To get an EDL or and EID, you must be a U.S. citizen and provide a Social Security number, proof of citizenship, proof of identity, and proof of Washington State residency.
Can I still get a standard driver license in WA?
Yes, you can still get standard driver licenses and ID cards which can be used by Washington residents to drive or as identification.
Does a standard driver license in WA count as REAL ID?
A standard Washington driver license or ID card does not meet the federal requirements to be a REAL ID-approved document.
Can I use a passport instead of REAL ID?
Once the REAL ID requirements take effect after the new deadline of May 7, 2025, travelers boarding flights in the U.S. – whether domestic or international – will be required to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification unless they have an acceptable alternative document, such as a passport.
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