MEDIA RELEASE

By now, you may have heard the term “REAL ID” and how you will need one to travel. But in case you haven’t, here is a quick backstory.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005, establishing minimum security standards for federal and state-issued IDs, like your driver’s license or identification card. Enforcement of the act will make it more difficult for the bad guys to get on airplanes, making travel safer for everyone.

Now that you know the background, we want to stress two important points: REAL ID enforcement will begin on October 1, 2020, and you MUST have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification or another form of acceptable ID in order to board a flight. If we cannot verify your identity, you will not be permitted to enter the airport security checkpoint and will not be allowed to fly.

In spite of this fast-approaching enforcement date, it’s estimated that only 27% of U.S. citizens currently have a state-issued identification that meets the REAL ID requirements. Be sure you don’t get stuck at the airport without proper ID next year. The time to prepare is now.

Jay Wagner
TSA Guest Blogger