Beginning Wednesday, travelers without upgraded ID cards may be subject to more stringent security checks, but they won’t be barred from flights, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
State-issued identifications that do not comply with REAL ID will no longer be accepted by the Transportation Security Administration as of Wednesday.
At a U.S. House hearing on Tuesday, Noem stated, “If it’s not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly.” “There is a security concern here.”
Earlier this week, Noem stated that 19 states offer driver’s licenses to foreign nationals who are not authorized to be in the US, and that requiring REAL ID will prevent those people from being able to travel by air.
TSA had issued a warning in April that travelers who did not have the upgraded IDs might not be allowed to board aircraft. New, more stringent federal requirements for issuing identification cards were established by Congress in 2005, but enforcement has been frequently delayed.
Without a passport or the upgraded ID, travelers who are 18 years of age or older “may expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” according to a statement released by TSA in early April.
81% of passengers at checkpoints are presently providing valid identification, according to TSA’s report from last month. Beginning Wednesday, those IDs are also required in order to enter a federal building.
The REAL ID enforcement date was postponed until May 2025 by TSA in December 2022. The September 11, 2001 panel recommended that the U.S. government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses,” and the 2005 statute implemented this suggestion.
WATCH: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that travelers without Real ID-compliant cards will still be able to board their flights for the time being — even once the law fully takes effect Wednesday. https://t.co/YNfhMxlCkA pic.twitter.com/WZ5blUE284
— The Hill (@thehill) May 7, 2025
The law establishes minimal security requirements for the manufacture and issue of licenses. Many Americans only take flights once or twice a year, and last year, under former President Joe Biden, the TSA had stated that it was thinking of issuing up to three warnings before informing passengers that they would not be allowed to board further flights without a new ID.
If you’ve gotten a new ID in the last few years, it could already be REAL ID-compliant. “I also hear from travelers who are confused as to whether or not they already have a REAL ID,” Ruggiero said. “Some people who have recently renewed their license may already have a compliant ID and not know it,” so you may want to double-check yours before starting the process.
The top corner of a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license is marked with a symbol, usually a star. You might have an “enhanced” ID card instead if you reside in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, or Washington. This card would allow you to travel both domestically and over land and sea borders into Mexico and Canada from the United States. However, it prevents you from flying into either of those nations.
The word “enhanced” will appear at the top of enhanced IDs, along with an icon of the American flag.
Travelers who don’t have a REAL ID by the May 7 deadline will still be able to fly but should expect to follow some extra steps, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday.https://t.co/k8NgzZoMmf pic.twitter.com/paXwCCRN3F
— The National Desk (@TND) May 6, 2025
To find out the particular steps, including whether you’ll need to schedule an appointment at a DMV and what paperwork you’ll need when you get there, you’ll need to visit the website of your state’s driver’s licensing office. This is because state-specific regulations differ.
You must bring your passport or another TSA-approved form of identification when you fly if you don’t have a REAL ID by the deadline and you intend to board a domestic flight. TSA spokesman Lisa Farbstein cautions that failing to do so may result in “delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.”
