After years (literally, years) of warnings, delays, and probably a whole lot of governmental foot-dragging, the Real ID deadline is actually, truly, finally here.
Starting May 7, you will need a Real ID to fly. Real IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a Real ID so you won’t be denied from your flight or face travel delays! pic.twitter.com/x8IaQ4otyv
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 4, 2025
Starting this Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, that regular old driver’s license you’ve been flashing might not be enough to get you past TSA and onto your flight.
The TSA, bless their thorough-screening hearts, has issued what feels like its final warning. If you show up on Wednesday without a Real ID-compliant license (look for the little star, usually in the top right corner) or another acceptable form of identification, you better pack some extra snacks and maybe a good book. They’re advising passengers without compliant IDs to arrive at the airport a whopping THREE HOURS EARLY. Why? Because you’ll be subjected to additional screening, potential delays, and, according to this article from Gizmodo and the TSA’s own site, you might not even be cleared to fly.
✅ FLORIDA IS OVER 99% REAL ID COMPLIANT! ✅ That’s right — nearly every Floridian with a driver license or ID card is...
Posted by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on Friday, May 2, 2025
So, what can you use if your driver’s license is star-less?
- State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation worker identification credential
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Check the official TSA website for the full, slightly bewildering list. If you have none of those, the advice is stark: get to the airport obscenely early and bring every form of photo ID you possess – library card, Costco membership, that laminated picture of your cat? Maybe not the cat one, but you get the idea.
Seriously though, check your license today. Look for the star. If it’s not there and you plan on flying anytime soon (especially after Tuesday!), figure out your alternative ID situation now. If your travel is further out, make getting that Real ID a top priority.
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