Travelers must now have their REAL ID. NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry shows us how Day 1 under the new rule is going so far at San Diego International Airport.
What to Know
- Real ID-compliant identification will be required for those flying domestically in the U.S beginning May 7, 2025.
- Travelers 18 or over need a Real ID or another form of accepted ID for U.S. domestic flights.
- The Transportation Security Administration warned people who don't have a REAL ID to show up early and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.
- The TSA says you can use other forms of approved IDs to travel domestically.
Federal enforcement of the REAL ID begins Wednesday, May 7.
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WATCH HEREThat means travelers will need a Real ID-compliant license or other accepted form of identification, like a passport, to get through security before a domestic U.S. flight.
According to the DMV, as of May 1, 19.5 million REAL IDs have been issued, which is about 58% of Californians who are eligible.
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SIGN UP There is no rush to convert to a REAL ID unless you plan to travel beyond Wednesday and do not have a valid U.S. passport or military identification card. There are also other options to use for a federally accepted document.
Here is what you need to know:
What is a Real ID?
Local
A Real ID is an identification card, like a driver's license or state-issued ID, that is compliant with federal rules initiated in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Those hijackers were using state IDs and driver's licenses, some of which were obtained fraudulently.
In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act, allowing the federal government to set standards for state IDs. It was originally supposed to go into effect in 2008, but has been repeatedly postponed, including during the pandemic.
The ID cards have a gold bear with a star on the top right.
Who needs to show it?
Travelers 18 or over need the Real ID, or another form of accepted ID, for U.S. domestic flights.
Can I bring another form of ID?
If you can't get a Real ID by May 7, there are options.
The TSA says you can use a U.S. passport; a permanent resident card, also known as a green card; or a trusted traveler ID, like a Global Entry card. Here is what else is accepted:
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Border crossing card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
View a full list on the TSA website.
Some San Diego DMVs have extended their hours for Real ID applications
Four DMV offices in San Diego County will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and devote the early hour exclusively to patrons with Real ID appointments.
On Wednesdays, DMV office hours at the participating locations will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Here are the hour-early offices in San Diego County:
- El Cajon, 1450 Graves Ave.
- Poway, 13461 Community Road
- San Diego Clairemont, 4375 Derrick Drive
- San Marcos, 590 Rancheros Drive
What if I don't have a Real ID after May 7?
The Transportation Security Administration warned people who don't have a REAL ID to show up early and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.
"I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in," said Thomas Carter, the TSA's Federal Security Director in New Jersey. "I think there's that self-responsibility of the law that they need to know, give themselves that extra time, and if they do that, they shouldn't have an issue."
