Travelers Have Less Than 1 Month to Get a Real ID

• The Real ID deadline is May 7, 2025. 
• The TSA will require a Real ID for access to secure areas of airports.

The clock is ticking for a major change that will affect all airline passengers.

As an added security element on state driver’s license and identification cards, Real ID is a new standard the federal government put in place back in 2018. The deadline has been pushed several times to provide people more opportunities to get the card, and then subsequently delayed through COVID.

However it is now taking effect, and there is less than one month until the May 7 deadline for travelers to obtain a Real ID-compliant identification card.

You can visit your state’s bureau of motor vehicles office website for information on how to obtain a Real ID, as it involves presenting residency information and other documents for certification.

For travelers who are unable to obtain a Real ID by the deadline, there are several other options, such as using a United States passport in place of the Real ID. US passport cards and Global Entry cards are also acceptable forms of Real ID. The agency also added that temporary state-issued IDs, such as a paper driver’s license, are not acceptable forms in lieu of a Real ID for travel. 

“TSA is committed to engaging with the public, licensing jurisdictions and states to facilitate a smooth transition to Real ID enforcement beginning May 7, 2025,” a TSA spokesperson shared with Travel + Leisure. 

Know that the process for getting a Real ID can be onerous if not properly planned depending on where you live. For example, Real ID certification in California involves visiting a local DMV field office to have the paperwork approved manually. The lowest wait times are between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., but wait times can be over 80 minutes between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., according to a graph on the California DMV website. 

Unsure if you already have a Real ID? Visit the website of your state’s office responsible for administration of driver’s license or identification card, and learn what the corresponding symbol is, as it varies from state to state. In New York, for instance, travelers will know if they have a Real ID based on a white star in a black circle icon displayed on the ID. Meanwhile, in California, the logo is a golden bear with a star in the middle and in Texas, the Real ID is a golden circle with a white star at the top right corner.