Beginning January 22, travelers boarding domestic commercial flights within the United States and its territories will be required to present IDs compliant with the REAL ID Act at all Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints. According to Homeland Security, “The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards. The purposes covered by the Act are: accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.” If a state-issued ID (driver’s license, state ID) does not comply with the REAL ID Act, an alternate form of identification will be required by the TSA in order to board a domestic flight.
Louisiana, Michigan, and New York have been granted extensions through October 10. All 50 US states are now either compliant or have been granted extensions.
Territories that have requests for extension that are currently under review include American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. IDs from these territories will not be accepted for boarding commercial aircraft beginning January 22, unless an extension is granted.
To check the status of your state’s compliance with the REAL ID Act, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website.
