
REAL ID REQUREMENTS
TRAVEL THERE AND BACK
Real ID Starts May 7, 2025
May 7, 2025 is the official start date for enforcement of the REAL ID act.
This means that for official purposes, such as boarding a plane, a REAL ID must be used as identification. All states have a REAL ID compliant ids available. Some states are automatically compliant now and will include the Real ID star marking. Others, offer both a non-compliant option and a compliant option, such as the State of Washington.
If you live in one of those states, you will want to make sure the ID you have is the compliant one. 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. Most EDLs do not contain the star marking and this is acceptable.
The TSA continues to urge travelers to obtain a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license, state-issued identification card or another form of acceptable ID before May 7 to avoid delays at airport security checkpoints. TSA accepts several other forms of identity documents.
For more information on acceptable forms of identification for boarding aircraft, please visit TSA’s website at https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification. You can check out the official government website regarding REAL ID here https://www.dhs.gov/real-id