Reading Time: 5 minBeginning May 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security has announced that all U.S. airline travelers need to have a REAL ID — an enhanced identification card with stricter security standards that replaces a standard driver's license.
That means a standard driver's license is longer acceptable at TSA security checkpoints. And theoretically, that means if you don't have a REAL ID, you can't board a commercial flight.
But it's not quite that simple. Fortunately, if you don't have a REAL ID, there are other options, one or more of which you may already have in hand.
Before we dive into those details, let's explain how you can get a state-issued REAL ID, and how you can still make it through airport security without one.
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 Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington 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 state-issued REAL ID, 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 two years 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, you're still likely to make it onto your flight, so long as you leave yourself some extra time at the airport.
According to the TSA, "as of January 2024, only approximately 56% of driver's licenses and state ID's in circulation nationally are REAL ID-compliant." Those numbers are undoubtedly higher today, but there are still millions of people who don't have a REAL ID, and many who likely aren't even aware of it.
So if you show up without a REAL ID at a checkpoint, you may face the same additional screening as someone with no ID at all. While TSA handles this situation daily at airports nationwide, it'll significantly delay your journey.
Reports so far indicate that the TSA is randomly sending some people without REAL IDs for a secondary ID screening, but others are being waved through. So if you don't have a REAL ID, you should arrive at the airport with extra time, but it's possible you may end up waiting around for your flight.
Of course, the best solution is to pack an alternative form of ID in your carry-on, such as a passport or Global Entry card. That way you'll know you're 100% ready to fly and can aim to keep your travel day worry-free.
