Real ID is finally coming May 7, but with a phased enforcement plan

This time it’s for real.

Real ID is coming. It’s time to get serious about making sure your identification is up-to-date.

The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation (DOT) just published a notice in the Federal Register regarding the rollout of new security standards that driver’s licenses and state identification cards have to meet in order to be used for federal purposes — including passing through airport security checkpoints — beginning in the spring of 2025.

But there’s a catch: full enforcement won’t be in place until 2027.

After multiple delays, DHS now says its latest deadline, May 7, 2025, is locked in for officially implementing the Real ID requirement for domestic air travel. The rule will become official after a period for public comment.

Beginning May 7, 2025, those presenting a state-issued driver’s license or identification card at the airport must present a Real ID-compliant card. Passengers without a compliant ID may face delays at ID verification; although the phased implementation would still allow them to enter secure areas under certain conditions during the rollout, the deadline for the normal requirements is set, a DHS spokesperson told TPG.

The newly proposed rules add some flexibility to the full rollout, a TSA spokesperson said. “…[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 authorities will have up to two years to fully implement the new requirements:

“This proposed rule recognizes these concerns and would provide flexibility by permitting agencies to, for a period of up to 2 years, implement REAL ID card-based enforcement using a phased approach tailored to their specific operations.”

That means some states may be able to give people a little more time to get the correct documentation for entry to government offices and to pass through security at airports.

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 is Real ID-compliant by looking at the star in the upper right or left corner, as shown in the photo below.

Example of a Real ID-compliant driver's license. — Example of a Real ID-compliant driver’s license. DHS.GOV

Here are a few examples of compliant ID symbols.

If you don’t see a star on your ID or it says something in fine print on the document like “Not for federal identification” or “Not for federal purposes,” then it is not Real ID-approved.

You can use this tool to figure out if you are compliant. It will ask you a series of questions to determine if you are ok to travel. Remember that a U.S. passport qualifies as Real ID in all cases.

If you need to get a new state-issued Real ID-approved license or identification card, it may be as simple as renewing your current ID. Just be sure to make it clear that you want the Real ID-approved version(s). Some states still issue standard licenses or IDs that don’t include Real ID provisions.

Note, too, that even if you have Clear or TSA PreCheck, you still need an ID that matches the new Real ID requirements.

When the Real ID Act is fully implemented, you will not be allowed through TSA checkpoints without a Real ID compliant identification.

Here are the alternatives to a state-issued Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card:

U.S. passport card
DHS Trusted Traveler card (Global Entry, Nexus, SENTRI, FAST)
Permanent resident card
U.S. Department of Defense ID
Border-crossing card
State-issued enhanced driver’s license
Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employment authorization card (I-766)
U.S. merchant mariner credential

Bottom line

The federal government is sticking to a May 7, 2025 deadline for instituting new ID requirements for security at airports and other government facilities after years of delays. There will be some wiggle room, however in the new rules to give local authorities more time to fully comply with the new rules.

You should check to see that your state-issued ID is Real ID-compliant now and make a plan to fix that if its not. It sounds like the government is finally getting serious about implementing a law passed in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks 23 years ago this week.

Related reading: