By Danny R. Johnson – Travel News Editor
We reached out to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to find out what will happen if travelers arrive at the airport without a Real ID on or after May 7, 2025. Here’s what the agency advises.
Time is running out. There’s a little more than two weeks left until the country’s Real ID rule is set to go into effect on May 7, 2025. We reached out to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to get the latest update on the requirement’s rollout.
Come May 7, “every air traveler 18 years of age and older must have a Real ID–compliant ID, which is a state-issued driver’s license; state-issued identification card; or another acceptable form of ID, such as a U.S. passport,” a TSA spokesperson recently confirmed.
If you have a valid passport, you can use that as a stand-in for domestic flights until you get a Real ID.
When asked whether people will be able to fly without a Real ID or valid passport, the TSA spokesperson told Afar, “If you do not have a Real ID by May 7, your air travel may be delayed.” According to the latest advice on the TSA’s Real ID directives, “Passengers who do not yet have their Real ID or another TSA acceptable form of ID can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being allowed into the security checkpoint. This includes TSA PreCheck passengers.”
As of May 7, if you arrive at the airport without a Real ID or valid passport, you may be asked by a TSA officer to complete an identity verification process, which includes providing your name and home address.
“If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening,” the TSA stated on its information page. “You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose to not provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process, or your identity cannot be confirmed.”
Notably, the agency advises travelers heading to the airport without a Real ID–compliant ID or passport to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight time to allow for the added verification process. In January, TSA published a TSA Final Rule in the government’s Federal Register that allows for a phased approach to the enforcement of Real ID regulations. The rule permits individual agencies in each state to determine what enforcement will look like based on what is feasible operationally and the impact on the traveling public. The rule requires state agencies to achieve full enforcement by May 5, 2027.
What’s a Real ID?
A Real ID is a new-generation driver’s license or identification card that meets enhanced security standards established by the Real ID Act Mandate in 2005—a response to recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission following the September 11 terror attacks.
You can check if you have a Real ID card by looking for a star—either gold or black—in the upper portion of your driver’s license or identification card (they vary slightly from state to state). For example, California Real IDs are marked with a star inside of an image of a bear. For more information about Real ID guidelines, TSA has a TSA interactive map that allows you to click on your departure state to see details about how to get a Real ID there and the related travel requirements.
Each state handles the issuance of driver’s licenses and identification cards independently, and each state has its own Real ID requirements. Thus, the requirements vary slightly from state to state. Typically, though, the main difference in applying for and getting a Real ID–compliant license versus a noncompliant one lies in the documentation you need to provide. For instance, to get a Real ID in California, you will need to make an appointment at a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office (you cannot obtain a Real ID online) and provide an identifying document, such as a passport or birth certificate; proof of your Social Security number, such as your Social Security card or a W-2 form; and proof of California residency, as outlined on the Real ID explainer portal on the California DMV website.
All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and all five U.S. territories are now issuing Real ID-compliant licenses and identification cards.
