Real ID: Can you fly without a Real ID after the deadline?
Won’t have enough time before the deadline? Here are some alternative forms of identification you can use at the airport.
WASHINGTON — The REAL ID deadline is just over a week away, a change that is slated to affect millions of travelers.
Starting on May 7, state-level IDs, such driver’s licenses, will not be accepted at airport security checkpoints unless they are a REAL ID. The federally-mandated switch requires that state-issued IDs or driver’s licenses meet security standards designated by a 2005 law passed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
If you’ve received a new driver’s license or state identification card within the past few years, chances are you already have one. Typically, the REAL ID designation is indicated by a gold or black star on your identification card in most states.
For those who still need to update their driver’s license, you may be running out of time. DMV offices across the country are reporting significant increases in appointments and some are even extending hours as the deadline is just days away.
Won’t have enough time before the deadline? Here are some alternative forms of identification you can use at the airport.
Can I still fly if I don’t have a REAL ID?
If your driver’s license or state-level ID is not REAL ID compliant by the deadline, you can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being allowed beyond the airport’s security checkpoint, TSA says.
However, other forms of identification will be accepted by TSA.
You’ll still need your passport to travel internationally, including trips to Canada or Mexico and international cruises.
- State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).
- 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
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Do kids need a REAL ID to fly?
Children under 18 are not required to provide identification when traveling with a companion, according to TSA. However, the child’s companion will need to have a REAL ID.
