REAL ID travel requirements aren’t as urgent as you think

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You've probably heard the news. Last summer, the Department of Homeland Security announced that all U.S. airline travelers will soon need to have a REAL ID — an enhanced identification card with stricter security standards that replaces a standard driver's license.

According to DHS, after May 7, 2025, a standard driver's license will no longer be accepted at TSA security checkpoints. Theoretically, that means if you don't have a REAL ID by May 7th, you won't be able to board a commercial flight.

But this isn't the first time that DHS has announced a deadline for passengers to get a REAL ID. In fact, for 20 years since the REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, we've been hearing about impending cutoff dates, only to see them waived or extended again and again.

So there's good reason to believe that this latest REAL ID deadline won't be as firmly enforced as its being made out to be. In fact, the TSA says it's already planning to slowly "phase in" the new requirement even after May 7th.

Before we dive into those details, let's explain how you can get a REAL ID, and how you can still make it through airport security without one, even if the REAL ID requirement does end up sticking this time around.

REAL IDs are issued through your state's DMV or driver licensing agency. It's basically the same process as getting a standard driver's license or state ID, except that you need additional documents that prove your social security number, residency, and lawful presence in the country.

While many states don't charge extra to get a REAL ID versus a standard ID or driver's license. in a few states, you'll pay a surcharge. For instance, Virginia charges an additional one-time fee of $10 for REAL ID, while you'll pay a whopping $30 more for REAL ID in Pennsylvania.

But you might already have a REAL ID and don't even realize it. Pull out your driver's license and take a look at it. If it has a star in the upper-right corner, you're holding a REAL ID.

Even if you don't have a star on your license, you still might be OK. DHS notes on its website that "Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL) issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont are considered acceptable alternatives to REAL ID-compliant cards and will also be accepted for official REAL ID purposes."

These enhanced driver's licenses usually have the word "Enhanced" and a U.S. flag printed on them at the top, so if you live in one of these states and have an enhanced license, you're also good to go.

If you don't see any of these markings on your current driver's license or state ID, you have a standard ID, not a REAL ID. You'll need to check with your state's DMV for their process of upgrading your ID.

Fortunately, even if you don't have a REAL ID by May 7th — or whenever the TSA actually starts enforcing the requirement — there are still a number of ways to travel without this particular form of identification.

First, a U.S. passport can always be used as valid ID at a TSA checkpoint, and you don't need to be traveling internationally. Even a U.S. passport card will work. So if you have either, just make sure to pop it into your carry-on bag and present it at security instead of your state ID.

What if you aren't a U.S. citizen? Lots of overseas tourists pass through U.S. airports every day, and of course they don't have REAL ID cards. So foreign government-issued passports are also valid at TSA checkpoints.

You can also use a Trusted Traveler card as ID, which are given to travelers who have been approved for programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST.

And if you look at the complete list of acceptable identification on the TSA's website, you'll find things like a permanent resident card, a border crossing card, a transportation worker identification credential, and many other forms of ID that qualify.

Believe it or not, the TSA also accepts any of the above forms of identification even if they've expired, up to a year after expiration. And remember that the TSA doesn't require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States.

You can certainly go to your state's DMV and swap your current driver's license for a REAL ID one. But if you're going to go through the trouble, you might be better off just applying for Global Entry instead.

Not only does the Trusted Traveler card that comes with Global Entry qualify as a valid form of ID at TSA checkpoints, you'll also get expedited access through U.S. customs with a Global Entry membership.

Plus, Global Entry automatically comes with TSA PreCheck, which provides access to dedicated TSA security lines at the airport. Typically, travelers in the TSA PreCheck line aren't required to remove their shoes, belts, light jackets, laptops, or liquids from your bag.

Finally, if you have the right credit card, you can even get Global Entry with TSA PreCheck for free. A number of top travel cards offer an automatic credit for up to $120 when you apply for Global Entry and charge the application fee to your card.

Even with all the options presented above, if you still find yourself standing in a TSA screening line with nothing but your standard driver's license after May 7th, don't worry. You're still likely to make it onto your flight.

Just after the start of this year, the TSA published a new rule stating that "federal agencies may continue to accept [noncompliant] licenses past May 7, 2025, if they are doing so pursuant to an enforcement plan coordinated with DHS."

Why? Well, because as the rule notes, "as of January 2024, only approximately 56% of driver's licenses and state ID's in circulation nationally are REAL ID-compliant."

Obviously, there are still millions of people who aren't ready for the May 7th deadline. And it's simply not tenable for the DHS and TSA to suddenly start telling thousands of travelers each day to go home because they don't have the right ID. Airlines and airports would melt down, and politicians would scramble to contain the blowback from angry constituents.

So the TSA's new rule permits federal agencies to use a "phased approach" to enforcing REAL ID. And that's exactly what's likely to happen if you try to fly without one after May 7th. You'll get told that you need to update your ID, and then waved through like usual.

In other words, don't panic about getting a new ID. Apply for one if you have time, or switch to a REAL ID the next time you're scheduled to renew your license anyway. But in the meantime, stick an alternate ID in your bag and leave your regular license in your wallet. It's likely all you'll need.