Flight ID Requirement CHANGE Delayed Until 2025

Are you planning to fly soon? Then you’ll need to know about a major change that’s been DELAYED.

Orlando International Airport

The U.S. passed the Real ID Act in 2005 in order to increase security for travel. The act requires people to update their driver’s licenses or other identification cards before they will be allowed to board a plane. The deadline for obtaining a Real ID has been delayed several times, with the most recent deadline being May 2023. Now, however, that date has been pushed back once again.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security updated its website to show a new deadline for the Real ID Act: Now, this act will not be enforced until May 2025. This is a 2-year delay of the deadline. According to the website, “On May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.”

©Department of Homeland Security

The original deadline for the Real ID act was 2008, but it has been pushed back several times. According to CNBC, the latest delay is due to “the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic,” which “made it more difficult for people to obtain licenses or identification cards that are Real ID-compliant.”

©CNBC via Getty Images

You can tell if your identification or driver’s license is Real ID-compliant by looking for a black or gold star in the right-hand corner of the card. If you don’t have one of these symbols, you will need to update your card by May 7th, 2025. These IDs will be required to board domestic flights at that point.

©U.S. Department of Homeland Security

If you are unable to update your ID, you can use a different form of identification to fly. Here’s a list of acceptable identification according to the TSA:

Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- Beginning May 7, 2025, if you plan to use your state-issued ID or license to fly within the U.S., make sure it is REAL ID compliant. If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state department of motor vehicles.
U.S. passport
U.S. passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License
An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized, Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Orlando Airport TSA Lines

To update your driver’s license, you should look up which facilities in your state offer the Real ID upgrade. This upgrade may cost extra, depending on the state.

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We’ll continue to watch for more updates that could affect your upcoming travel, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news.