It’s finally here. As of this Wednesday, travelers across the country will be required to present a state-issued ID or driver’s license that meets REAL ID standards for domestic flights within the U.S.
In addition to their use for boarding domestic flights, these identification cards comply with federal standards and can be utilized to access secure federal premises. Regardless of your location within the country, REAL IDs feature a star symbol in the top-right corner as an identifier.
“Driver’s licenses and IDs issued by the state that do not meet REAL ID requirements are no longer acceptable for identification purposes at airports,” according to the Transportation Security Administration.
explained
However, if passengers arrive on Wednesday lacking a REAL ID, they will still be permitted to board their flights but may encounter extra security checks, according to officials who spoke this week. Additionally, there are alternative forms of identification that travelers can present before takeoff.
Here’s what awaits if your flight is scheduled for after Wednesday’s cutoff.
Am I able to travel by air past Wednesday without possessing a REAL ID?
The deadline of Wednesday isn’t for acquiring a REAL ID; instead, it marks when the new requirement for boarding an airplane will start. Individuals can continue to obtain a REAL ID even after May 7th.
Moreover, individuals who do not have this requirement will also not face rejection at airport checkpoints, as stated by Steve Lorincz, the TSA’s deputy executive assistant administrator for security operations.
told
.
We will handle your application, and none of you will be denied,” Lorincz stated. “This may require extra time, but we’ll manage it efficiently. All branches nationwide have complete staffing.
The deadline of Wednesday to implement the 2005 REAL ID Act, which adopted the 9/11 Commission’s suggestion to improve security protocols for IDs at a federal level, has been postponed multiple times.
A two-decade-old legislation mandates that state-issued driver’s licenses must comply with specific federal standards to be valid for air travel or entry into federally controlled sites. However, according to the TSA, approximately 19% of individuals traveling by air across the country still lack these compliant IDs.
The deadline left many
confused travelers
frantically trying to meet requirements before the holiday season and the arrival of summer.
The implementation is currently taking place.
amid delays and cancellations
at Newark Airport.
‘Be prepared’
On Tuesday, the TSA alerted travelers that the implementation of REAL ID requirements begins on Wednesday. Individuals who do not possess this document might face extra screenings, even those enrolled in the TSA Pre-Check program.
“Plan ahead, arrive early, and arrive prepared,” the agency
stated in a tweet on X
.
Travelers can find if they are “REAL ID ready” by using the
TSA’s interactive tool.
“We’ll have staff in front of all our checkpoints to help and direct our customers as they transit through the security process,” Lorincz said.
Some airports will also have separate lines for people who do not have Real IDs, or other documentation.
The agency will work with states, airlines and airports toward an eventual time where enough people are showing up at airports with the correct ID, a TSA spokesperson told .
“The bottom line is, if you don’t have an acceptable form of ID such as a passport or a REAL ID, give yourself plenty of time when you arrive to ensure you can get through everything from the curb to the gate,” the spokesperson said. “We’re definitely implementing REAL ID … but nobody’s going to be turned away (Wednesday).”
What items are still permitted at TSA checkpoints?
Individuals aged 18 years and older are required to present legitimate ID when passing through airport security checkpoints for travel purposes.
Other forms of identification that will still be accepted at TSA checkpoints
include
A U.S. passport or passport card, a permanent residency card, a border crossing card, and a Veterans Health Identification Card, amongst other options.
Individuals without a valid form of identification might be required to go through an identity verification process. Upon confirming a traveler’s identity, they will be permitted to proceed to the checkpoint, where they could face further examination, according to the TSA.
What states are doing
Needed documents and the price for the ID
differs from one state to another
And each one has its distinct method for distributing them. The
TSA links
to each state’s department of motor vehicles to explain what residents may need to get one.
“DMVs are working really, really hard to make sure that we’re getting people in so they can get their REAL IDs as we continue to move forward,” Lorincz said.
In preparation for the transition, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is offering extended hours and Saturday appointments to residents looking to get a REAL ID.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles indicates on its website that officials are seeing “an increased volume” in offices due to the REAL ID implementation.
“It’s time to obtain your REAL ID. Seriously,” states the Service Oklahoma.
website reads
.
It serves as a reminder for travelers planning trips soon to obtain their REAL ID well ahead of time—specifically, at least four weeks before—to ensure the TSA does not accept a temporary paper ID instead. Additionally, it notes that these IDs are typically delivered via mail within one to two weeks following your application appointment.
’s Alexandra Skores contributed to this report.
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