Jody Serrano
Editor in chiefEditor in Chief at Xataka On. Before joining Webedia, I was a tech reporter at Gizmodo and The Messenger. While I've covered all sorts of things related to technology, I'm specialized in writing about social media, Internet culture, Twitch, and streamers.
Beginning in May of this year, Americans will need to present a REAL ID to travel by plane or access a federal building. That’s not a typo. It’s literally what the ID was named when Congress passed the law establishing it in 2005.
Twenty years and many extensions later, federal authorities say they’re finally going to start enforcing REAL IDs. Don’t worry, though—there’s a bit of wiggle room.
News. TSA recently published what it called the “final rule” on REAL ID enforcement. In a news release, the agency said that federal agencies will begin enforcing REAL ID requirements on May 7, 2025. On that date, individuals will need to present a driver’s license or state ID that complies with the REAL ID standard.
The agency said that all states now issue REAL ID complaint driver’s licenses and ID cards. REAL IDs are required for individuals that use their driver’s license or state ID to travel domestically. They’re also required to enter federal facilities, such as courthouses or military bases.
What is a REAL ID? It’s a form of identification that’s accepted by your state and the federal government. REAL IDs were created by a 2005 law in response to security concerns after 9/11.
REAL IDs are essentially another type of ID card that requires individuals to present additional documents to verify their identity. States that issue REAL IDs must also incorporate additional security features into the cards and meet physical safety standards where the cards are issued.
On a basic level, you can tell a REAL ID apart from a regular ID by checking to see if it has special markings in the upper top portion of the card. These markings include a gold or black star, a gold or black circle with a white star, or a yellow bear with a white star.
History of REAL ID. The REAL ID has become infamous because it’s taken so long to implement and enforce. It was originally supposed to be implemented in 2008, but the deadline was extended. The deadline continued to be extended throughout the years, prompting questions over whether it would ever actually get enforced.
In January 2024, the Department of Homeland Security estimated that only 56% of IDs in circulation were REAL ID-compliant
What about the wiggle room? The government knows that suddenly requiring people to present REAL IDs to fly and enter federal buildings—even though it’s been informing the public for nearly 20 years—on May 7 could cause a ruckus.
As such, while it’s saying that May 7 is the official day that federal agencies will begin enforcing REAL ID, it’s also giving them some leeway. Specifically, DHS is allowing all agencies to choose how to enforce the REAL ID requirements and is allowing them to carry out a “phased approach” until 2027.
Agencies that choose to adopt a phased approach will be allowed to accept noncompliant IDs on a limited basis.
Images | Anton Porsche | DHS
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