(NEXSTAR) — If you’re planning to take a flight in 2025, you may want to double-check your wallet: the long-awaited REAL ID rule will be taking effect.
Come early May, you will need a REAL ID-compliant ID (which you may already have) to board a domestic flight. It will also be necessary if you are visiting certain federal facilities or entering a nuclear power plant.
Once the REAL ID requirement kicks in, federal agencies like TSA will be prohibited from accepting state-issued IDs that do not meet the necessary standards.
What is a REAL ID?
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the REAL ID Act, which requires driver’s licenses and identification cards issued by every state to meet certain security standards. Prior to the bill’s 2005 signing, states had varying levels of requirements.
Now, all states must at least require proof of your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, legal residency, and two forms verifying your address before issuing a driver’s license or ID card.
Thankfully, many states have been issuing REAL ID-compliant IDs for years, which means there is a good chance you already have one. The quickest way to tell is by looking at your driver’s license or state-issued ID: if there is a star — it will be either black or gold, appear as a star or a cutout — your ID is a REAL ID.
Those who opt out of getting a REAL ID will be issued licenses with a “Federal Limits Apply” note in place of the star.
How do I get a REAL ID?
For most, getting a REAL ID should be simple. You’ll need documentation that shows your full legal name, your date of birth, your Social Security number, two proofs of address for your principal residence, and your lawful status.
Four documents — your birth certificate and your Social Security card (or, in some cases, just the number), plus a bill and a pay stub — could help you meet all of those requirements. You may, however, need different or additional documents depending on your situation, immigration status or where you live.
It’s best to check with your local authorities, like the Department of Motor Vehicle, to confirm what information is needed and which documents will satisfy the requirements.
What is the REAL ID deadline?
As of the end of December, the REAL ID rules will take effect on May 7, 2025. Once the deadline passes, if you do not have a REAL ID, you may need to provide another form of identification, like a U.S. passport or military ID, to board a plane.
Minors flying with an adult do not need a REAL ID, the Department of Homeland Security notes.
REAL IDs are also optional. You will not need a REAL ID to drive, vote, apply for federal benefits like Social Security, enter a federal facility that otherwise does not require an ID (like a post office), go to a hospital, or “participate in law enforcement proceedings or investigations,” like jury duty.
It’s also worth noting that REAL IDs cannot be used for crossing the Mexico or Canada borders.
