The deadline for REAL ID enforcement is May 7, 2025. Starting on this date, U.S. travelers age 18 and older must have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card, or another accepted form of federal ID (such as a passport), to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities like military bases and federal buildings
. Key points about the deadline:
- After May 7, 2025, a REAL ID or an alternative federally accepted ID is required for domestic air travel within the U.S.
- The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005 but enforcement has been delayed multiple times until this current deadline
- To obtain a REAL ID, you must apply in person at your state's DMV with required identity, residency, and legal presence documents
- If you do not have a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative ID by the deadline, expect additional screening or possible denial of boarding at airports
- You can still get a REAL ID after the deadline, but it will be required for the above federal purposes starting May 7, 2025
In summary, the official and final deadline to be REAL ID compliant for domestic flights and federal facility access is May 7, 2025.
