Don't have a REAL ID? Here are other forms of ID you can use to fly
As New Yorkers scramble to their local DMV offices to secure a REAL ID before the deadline, some are asking what other forms of identification will be accepted at airports. Starting May 7, every air traveler over the age of 18 will need to have compliant identification to pass through U.S. airport security checkpoints. Without one, their domestic travel plans may be sidelined or delayed.
The requirement stems from the 2005 REAL ID Act, which established "minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards," according to the Department of Homeland Security.
While this includes REAL IDs – or state-issued driver's licenses or identification cards with a star marking at the top – there are also other acceptable forms of ID that Americans who have not yet updated their licenses can present at the airport.
Here's more on what travelers need to know:
REAL ID vs Enhanced ID
Some Americans may already have an Enhanced ID, which is a "state-issued enhanced drivers licenses that provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship when crossing the U.S. border in a vehicle," according to DHS. They're currently issued by five states: Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Vermont and Washington as a convenient way to enter Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.
While not all Enhanced IDs have the star marking, they are considered a compliant form of identification, so they can be used as an alternative to a REAL ID at airports. They're distinguished by an image of the U.S. flag and the word "enhanced" at the top.
Acceptable forms of REAL ID
According to the Transportation Security Administration, these are the acceptable forms of REAL ID:
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)
Do I need a REAL ID if I have a passport?
No, if you have a current U.S. passport or another TSA-approved ID, you don't need a REAL ID to travel domestically.
How do I get a REAL ID?
The newly designed Real ID driver's license card was released by New York Department of Motor Vehicles.
To get the REAL ID-compliant license, individuals need to visit their local New York Department of Motor Vehicles office in person with documents to prove U.S. citizenship and New York residency.
The required documents include one proof of identity, such as a passport or U.S. birth certificate, proof of legal presence for non-U.S. citizens, two proofs of New York residency, your social security card and a current driver's license if you are applying to exchange one issued by another U.S. state.
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.
There is no additional cost beyond the renewal fee to get a REAL ID.
The DMV also offers an Enhanced ID, which meets federal REAL ID standards. An Enhanced ID costs $30 extra and can be used as identification when returning to the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico and some countries in the Caribbean.
What happens if I don't have a valid REAL ID at the airport?
The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes verifying your name and current address to confirm your identity, according to the TSA. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening.
You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose to not provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process or your identity cannot be confirmed, TSA officials said.
Includes reporting by the USA Today network
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Don't have a REAL ID? Here are other forms of ID you can use to fly
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