REAL ID deadline fast approaching: What happens if you don't have one?
The deadline to obtain a REAL ID is rapidly approaching—New Yorkers must add a REAL ID seal to their state-issued ID or driver's license by May 7, 2025, to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.
Originally set to take effect in 2020, the requirement was postponed until May 2025 due to "backlogged transactions" at Motor Vehicle Division offices across the country, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, USA TODAY reported.
If you haven't yet obtained your REAL ID, or you're unsure how to get one, here's everything you need to know.
The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, established security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. It also prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting IDs from states that don't meet these standards, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
By May 7, 2025, travelers over 18 will need a REAL ID to board domestic flights or access specific federal facilities unless they have another TSA-approved form of identification. Other TSA-approved alternatives include:
U.S. passport
State-issued Enhanced driver's license
DHS trusted traveler cards (GlobalEntry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. Department of Defense ID (including dependents' IDs)
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
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)
No, if you have a current U.S. passport or another TSA-approved ID, you don't need a REAL ID to travel domestically.
No, if you have an Enhanced driver's license, permit, or non-driver ID, you don't need a REAL ID. In fact, an Enhanced license can also be used to cross U.S. borders by land or sea into Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries.
Without a REAL ID, passport, Enhanced license, or other TSA-approved identification, you won't be able to fly domestically or access certain federal facilities.
To apply for a REAL ID in New York, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). After submitting the required documents, expect to receive your REAL ID by mail within about two weeks.
To apply for a REAL ID, you must bring specific documentation, including:
Full legal name
Date of birth
Social Security number
Two proofs of address
Proof of lawful status
For more details on acceptable documents, visit the New York State DMV website at dmv.ny.gov. Note that documents issued more than one year before your office visit will not be accepted.
The REAL ID doesn't have an additional cost beyond standard DMV transaction fees.
The REAL ID seal appears as a black circle with a white star in the top right corner of your ID. Enhanced licenses have an American flag emblem in the same location.
For more information, including application details and necessary documents, visit the New York State DMV website at dmv.ny.gov.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: REAL ID deadline fast approaching: What happens if you don't have one?
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