DHS to start requiring REAL ID for domestic air travel May 7

The Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, on Sunday confirmed it would begin enforcement of the REAL ID Act for all domestic air travel beginning May 7. The act requires travelers to carry REAL IDs, which require more supporting documents to verify identity than most previous state-issued IDs. The act also requires state authorities processing REAL ID applications to check the validity of each supporting document with its issuing agency and keep digital copies of the documents. Many DMV offices across the country offered extended hours beginning on Monday in order to meet the demand for new IDs.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. Slow overhauls of state databases and COVID pandemic backlogs stretched the act’s implementation to 20 years later.

How do I know if I have a REAL ID? REAL IDs have a star marking on the top right corner. Enhanced driver’s licenses issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont don’t typically have the star marking, but are an acceptable alternative, according to DHS.

Will REAL ID information be used to create a federal database? The act mandates a national set of standards for identification, not a national database. Each state will continue to create, control, and keep its own identification records, according to DHS. The act does require all states to make their motor vehicle databases accessible to other states.

Will people attempting to fly without a REAL ID be turned away? Adult travelers without a REAL ID will need to present a U.S. passport or other similar document authorized by the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA. People who don’t have an alternative document might not be allowed to enter airport security, or could face delays and additional screening, according to DHS. Enforcement of the rule is flexible until 2027, according to the TSA.