You Could Miss Your Flight if You Don’t Have a Real ID. Here’s How to Get One

Starting next year, if you plan on flying domestically, you’ll need a Real ID instead of an old driver’s license.

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After several delays, it looks as if the Real ID requirement for flying domestically within the US will take effect in about 9 months — on May 7, 2025. If you’re planning air travel in 2025 on or after that date, an old driver’s license will no longer work. You’ll need a Real ID or other form of acceptable identification to get through the Transportation Security Authority’s security check.

The Real ID Act, which enforces consistent and secure standards for identification used in air travel and entering federal facilities, was passed in 2007. After it takes effect next May, US residents over 18 will need to present a Real ID-enhanced driver’s license or another federally approved identification — like a passport — to fly domestically.

Here’s everything you need to know about Real ID, including where to apply, what you’ll need to bring and what happens if you don’t have one after the 2025 deadline. For more on travel regulations, find out how to renew your passport online and the steps to take if your flight is delayed or canceled.

What is a Real ID and how do I know if I have one?

Essentially, Real ID is an enhanced version of your standard state driver’s license or identification card, intended to help authorities crack down on terrorism and identity fraud.

Today, all 50 states and the District of Columbia are complying with Real ID standards, the Department of Homeland Security said. If you recently renewed your driver’s license, it’s likely already compliant. If it’s been a few years, you’ll probably have to get it updated.

You can tell by looking at your license: If there is a gold, black or white star in the upper-right corner, you have a Real ID. (There are some minor variations — California places a white star over the state’s bear logo, while Maine puts it in an outline of the state.)

How do I apply for a Real ID card in my state?

Whatever state agency issued your driver’s license is responsible for distributing Real IDs. The paperwork required will vary but typically it includes proof of identity and status as a US resident or citizen, proof of your Social Security number and multiple proofs of your current address.

Originals or hard copies of documentation — birth certificate, Social Security card, US passport — are required, with photocopies and screenshots not accepted. Check your state’s driver’s licensing agency website for more specifics.

After you apply, you should receive a temporary paper ID until your Real ID-compliant license arrives in the mail about three or four weeks later.

With a few exceptions, the cost of getting a Real ID-compliant license is the same as renewing your license or non-driving identification card. 

What happens if I don’t get a Real ID before the deadline?  

Beginning in May 2025 — unless the deadline is extended again — federal agencies like the Transportation Security Administration will accept only Real ID-approved licenses and identification cards “for purposes of accessing federal facilities,” according to DHS. 

That includes airport security checkpoints.

Without one, US adults will have to show a valid passport, even to fly domestically, or one of these other forms of ID:

• US Department of Defense ID
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
• Enhanced Driver’s License, issued by Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington state 

Not having a Real ID-compliant license won’t affect other uses of a driver’s license, including verifying an individual’s ability to operate a vehicle or purchase alcohol, firearms or tobacco.

For more tips on flying, see how you can track flight cancellations on your iPhone and why there are better travel card options than the Chase Sapphire Reserve.