'Real ID' Will Soon Be Upon U.S. Residents - Really!

This time they really mean it!

The 9/11 Commission, in its 2004 report, recommended the federal government establish and enforce national standards for identification documents.

In early 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act in response.

Delays and amendments ensued for twenty years! Some states brought their drivers’ licenses into compliance with the federal requirements, while others did not. Deadlines and delays have been announced so many times that we're reminded of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. It seems the wolf is finally at the door.

The official deadline has now been announced as May 7, 2025. You can find a recent USA Today article about it here, and you can check out an official DHS government site here, complete with countdown clock.

The two of us have held Washington State Enhanced Drivers’ licenses for many years. In return for payment of an additional fee, such a license is acceptable to the TSA if we want to board a domestic flight, and we can use it to cross the border between the U.S. and Canada without a passport.

Let’s be absolutely clear. You don’t require any additional identification to board a flight if you are in possession of a valid passport, which to the federal government is the ultimate Real ID. There are various Real ID documents other than drivers’ licenses that also meet U.S. requirements. The TSA lists them here.

As for us, we may actually get to make use of our enhanced drivers’ licenses in a few months. Our passports expire in early 2026 and we plan to renew them this coming June after we return from a trip to Australia. We gather that our passport-linked NEXUS cards will be invalid as soon as new passports are issued. That being the case, if we want to board a flight or cross the border into Canada while we await our new passports, our enhanced drivers’ licenses will come in handy.

The key point to remember is that, from May 7 onward, you will want to be carrying your passport or some other form of Real ID if you’re boarding a domestic flight.

Even if you don't have acceptable identification, the TSA may let you fly, but plan to show up at the airport security checkpoint at least three hours before your flight to complete that process.

Better yet, make sure you do have acceptable identification.