08-05-2025
Real I.D. implemented for all domestic flights in United States
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Passengers at every airport in America had to provide a federally certified form of identification to get through security and board their flights Wednesday, May, 7, 2025. The Real I.D. implementation date has been on the radar for months and Wednesday, it finally went into full effect.
The Real I.D. Act was passed in February of 2005, more than 20 years ago to address concerns of passenger safety on domestic flights. After multiple delays, the implementation was finally given an official date and enforced for those flights today.
In order to get a Real I.D., you have to provide more certified documentation at the DMV office than you would for a normal driver's license. It proves anyone using a Real I.D. to fly would have already gotten their information certified prior at their DMV office.
Passports and government issued I.D.s are also acceptable if you don't have a Real I.D., but they must be official and not expired.
With all of the implementations taking effect, officials at PGV Airport in Greenville said the passengers departing Greenville were prepared.
'People in Eastern North Carolina are well prepared. I spoke with TSA earlier and they said for the outbound flights today everyone had a Real I.D. or passport, so people in this area are very prepared,' Executive Director of Airport Operations at PGV Bill Hopper said.
Hopper also talked about the additional layer of safety this brings.
'It means that we know who is on the plane and it's just another layer of security,' he said. 'We could all use that layer of security, so that we feel safe when we travel.'
DMVs across Eastern North Carolina are still seeing long lines as people try and get their new I.D. before the busy summer travel season.
'If it doesn't work out today, I'll probably come tomorrow about 8:30 a.m. and not eat or drink anything so I won't have to go to the restroom,' Mike Shugart said. 'Nobody likes to wait for two or three hours, but everybody seems to be cordial and realizes this is what you have to go through and it's just a couple of hours of your life and then you got it taken care of for the rest of your life.'
Not needing their Real I.D. today, some customers are remaining patient in hopes that they can get this errand taken care of before they fly this summer.
'We have to have patience, you know there are worse things in life than waiting,' Claudine Forbes Parra said.
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