While flying anywhere internationally unquestionably requires a passport, domestic flights within the United States have some rules that have been subject to controversy for nearly two decades.
When then-President George W. Bush pushed forward the Real ID Act in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in May 2005, the consideration had been to create a single standard of identification verification since some states have much stricter laws for issuing a driver’s license than others. Obtaining a federally-accepted Real ID requires providing not just proof of identity and address, but also a Social Security number and documentation of one’s immigration status in the United States.
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You may really have to get that ID updated this time
While the goal was to soon start requiring Real ID-compliant documents to gain access to certain federal buildings and get on a flight, implementation proved difficult and the deadline for requiring one to fly has been delayed long enough for some kids born after the bill’s passing to reach adulthood.
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) initially announced that it would start requiring driver licenses with the Real ID red star by 2008, but amid the challenges of getting millions of people to apply for new identification, the deadline was later pushed back to 2011 and then 2015, 2018 and 2020. The pandemic did not help matters and other extensions were given until 2023 and 2024.
The “it’s for real this time” deadline has now been set for May 7, 2025 but the TSA, while stressing that it does want to see it respected, acknowledged that a ”history of extensions” means that the public is likely to “not feel the urgency” of needing to renew their application.
As a result, it is proposing a policy of “flexibility” in which agencies can decide whether to require a Real ID or allow those who do not yet have it in with a reminder to get one. For flights, there would be less flexibility but a phased approach still looks likely given that the TSA estimates that only 56% of driver’s licenses in the US are Real ID-compliant.
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TSA: ‘Flexibility to determine a phased approach’
“Federal agencies would still be required to commence Real ID card-based enforcement on May 7, 2025, this proposed rule would provide agencies, for a period of up to 2 years, flexibility to determine that a phased approach to card-based enforcement is appropriate after considering relevant factors including security, operational feasibility, and impact to the public offered by their agency,” the TSA notice reads.
The fact that TSA acknowledged challenges to enforcing Real ID as it would like led many to speculate that a further delay into 2027 may be on the horizon even if the wording is meant to sound strict (especially since, as written in the TSA notice, many are already not taking the deadline seriously and expecting another extension.)
“TSA is engaging with the public, licensing jurisdictions and states to facilitate a smooth transition to Real ID enforcement beginning May 7, 2025,” TSA Administrator David Peksoke said in a statement. “Real ID provides an important security enhancement, and this rule allows us to plan for a range of scenarios to help minimize the potential impact to travelers, industry stakeholders and states during implementation.”
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