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If you have a passport, you may not need a REAL ID at all. Here's who needs one, what it costs, and how to fly if your license isn't compliant.
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Not necessarily. You need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to board domestic flights. A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID driver's license or ID. So if you already travel with your passport, you can keep doing that.[1]
REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025. The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 and prohibits federal agencies from accepting noncompliant driver's licenses and identification cards for certain official purposes, including physical and digital versions. In practice, that means your standard driver's license may no longer be enough on its own at the airport.[1]
Starting May 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. But "compliant" can mean a REAL ID card, an Enhanced Driver's License, a passport, or another acceptable alternative. You do not need both a REAL ID and a passport for a domestic trip — one valid form of identification is enough.[1],[3]
You need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification if you want to board domestic flights or visit federal facilities. Every state and territory resident will need to present a REAL ID compliant license/ID or another acceptable form of identification for accessing federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial aircraft.[1],[3]
But the card itself must be REAL ID compliant only unless you use an alternative acceptable document such as a passport, passport card, or state-issued Enhanced Driver's License. That's the key exception: if you have one of those, you don't need a REAL ID card.[3]
Children under 18 do not need to show ID for domestic travel, according to TSA. So a family trip doesn't mean getting REAL IDs for the kids.[3]
All states, the District of Columbia, and the 5 territories are REAL ID compliant and issue REAL ID compliant driver's licenses and IDs. So the question isn't whether your state offers one — it's whether the card in your wallet is the compliant version.[3]
Enhanced Driver's Licenses are issued by only five states: Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont. They are accepted as alternatives to REAL ID-compliant cards for official REAL ID purposes. Most Enhanced Driver's Licenses do not contain the star marking, and that is acceptable — look for the U.S. flag image and the word "Enhanced" at the top of the card.[3]
Travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee.[1]
Travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee. If you arrive at the airport without acceptable identification — lost, stolen, or otherwise — you may still be allowed to fly.[1],[3]
To get a REAL ID, you must at a minimum provide documentation showing your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence, and lawful status. That's the federal minimum — your state may ask for more.[3]
States may impose additional REAL ID requirements, so you should check your state's driver's licensing agency website before visiting in person. That one step can save you a second trip.[3]
Check your state's requirements
Visit your state's driver's licensing agency website. States may impose additional REAL ID requirements beyond the federal minimum.[3]
Gather your documents
At a minimum: full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence, and lawful status.[3]
Go to your local DMV
You can visit your local DMV to learn more about getting a REAL ID.[1]
If your card doesn't have a REAL ID marking, it is not REAL ID-compliant and won't be accepted as proof of identity to board commercial aircraft. That's the signal to start this process.[3]
TSA's guidance doesn't give a processing time for a REAL ID. It points you to your local DMV to learn more about getting one. What you can decide now is which document you'll bring: a passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID driver's license or ID to board domestic flights.[1]
There's no deadline to race against anymore — enforcement began May 7, 2025. The requirement is in effect now, so the question is what you'll show at the checkpoint on your next trip.[1]
A REAL ID gets you through TSA security checkpoints for domestic flights and into certain federal facilities. Federal agencies including DHS and TSA may only accept state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards as identification for accessing federal facilities, including TSA airport security checkpoints, if the card was issued by a REAL ID compliant state and includes the REAL ID compliant star marking.[1],[3]
It does not replace a passport for international travel. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada, Mexico, or other international travel, and cannot be used for international sea cruise travel. If you are traveling internationally you will still need your passport.[3]
It also isn't required everywhere you might think. The Act does not require individuals to present identification where it is not currently required to access a federal facility, such as to enter the public areas of the Smithsonian.[3]
And a REAL ID isn't a substitute for TSA PreCheck. All travelers, including TSA PreCheck enrollees, must have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification (e.g., passport) in order to fly once TSA is enforcing the REAL ID requirement at airports.[5]
For a domestic flight, bring one valid form of identification — your REAL ID or another acceptable alternative such as a passport, not both. Alternate acceptable forms of identification may be used in lieu of a REAL ID driver's license or ID at the airport to board domestic flights and when visiting federal facilities.[2],[3]
If you arrive at the airport without acceptable identification, whether lost, stolen, or otherwise, you may still be allowed to fly. Travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee.[1],[3]
A passport is not the only alternative to a REAL ID; TSA accepts several other forms of identity documents. If your license isn't compliant, check TSA's list before you assume you're stuck.[3]
Don't assume your current license is fine just because it's unexpired. The marking is the test. A card without a REAL ID marking is not REAL ID-compliant and won't be accepted as proof of identity to board commercial aircraft.[3]
Bring the right documents to the DMV. At a minimum you must provide documentation showing your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence, and lawful status. States may impose additional REAL ID requirements, so check your state's driver's licensing agency website before visiting in person.[3]
Don't show up at the airport with nothing acceptable and hope for the best. If you arrive without acceptable identification, whether lost, stolen, or otherwise, you may still be allowed to fly, but travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee. If you know your ID is non-compliant, bring your passport instead — it's an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID driver's license or ID.[1],[3]
Yes. A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID driver's license or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities. For a domestic trip, you only need one valid form of identification, not both.[1],[3]
You may still be allowed to fly. Travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a $45 fee.[1],[3]
No. TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States. Check with your airline for any additional requirements for travelers under 18.[3],[4]
Look at the upper top portion of the card. A star and/or flag, or the word "Enhanced," means you are REAL ID ready. Most Enhanced Driver's Licenses don't have the star, and that's acceptable.[1],[2],[3]
No. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada, Mexico, or other international travel. If you are traveling internationally you will still need your passport.[3]
At a minimum, you'll need documentation showing your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence, and lawful status. States may impose additional requirements, so check your state's driver's licensing agency website before visiting in person.[3]
No. All travelers, including TSA PreCheck enrollees, must have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification (e.g., passport) in order to fly once TSA is enforcing the REAL ID requirement at airports.[5]
Every rule, fee and deadline above is taken from these official pages, which we read on October 20, 2026. Rules change, so check the official page before you apply or pay.
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