- Starting on May 7, 2025, travelers will need a Real ID-compliant document, such as a driver’s license or state-issued ID, to fly domestically.
- Real IDs can be obtained at local motor vehicle departments and require documentation such as proof of identity, residency, and legal status.
- The deadline was pushed back from 2020 to 2025 due to backlogs at Motor Vehicle Division offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You might want to be sure all of your travel documents have the Real ID seal before you start to plan your next summer vacation.
All travelers interested in flying across the country have until May 7, 2025, to procure a state-issued identification card or driver’s license with a Real ID seal as ordered by the Department of Homeland Security. (Unless they have a passport.)
The “official” deadline might be six months away, but it’s not too early to head over to make sure you are set to fly free and clear.
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 automatically prevents travelers from flying domestically and accessing a federal facility.
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, USA TODAY reported.
The mountains of paperwork, according to the department, impacted agencies’ ability to make any real progress on the Real ID rollout. But this time, the deadline is really real.
