The Real ID Act was passed 20 years ago back in 2005, to set federal standards and regulations for IDs. The original deadline for these identification requirements was in 2008. However, after many extensions, the current deadline is May 7, 2025, which is now less than a month away!
With Real ID going into effect soon, a question I’ve been asking myself is, “What’s so different about this year compared to previous years?”
The deadline has been getting pushed back for the past 20 years, and it’s not like we have stellar Real ID adoption numbers today, either. According to a report by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), just 56% of IDs in circulation are Real ID compliant as of January 2024. This is nowhere near where the DHS wants it to be, and not enough passengers having a Real ID can cause serious issues at airports when the deadline comes around. So what’s different about this year that isn’t prompting the DHS to provide another extension?
The Urgency For a Real ID
One interesting thing that report noted is the thought process of the DHS regarding the low adoption numbers. They stated that “…the public may continue to expect that additional extensions are likely and not feel urgency to obtain a REAL ID.” Furthermore, the DHS sees “…this pattern is likely to delay increased adoption in many States despite best efforts to inform the public….”
Basically, Americans think that the deadline is going to continue to get pushed back and thus aren’t motivated to obtain a Real ID. DHS admits that there isn’t much else they can do to inform the public if Americans don’t take the Real ID deadlines seriously.
In their defense, this makes sense. The growth of Real IDs has been slow, as many states took a long time to comply and Americans haven’t really had a reason to get one for the last 20 years. There hasn’t been any urgency around this requirement (until now).
In this report, the DHS is essentially changing its approach to getting the Real IDs going, turning to a more “phase in” method. Their proposal here provides an option for each agency to create its own rules until 2027. However, neither TSA nor DHS seems to have any updates on this, and we’re now looking at a full May 7, 2025 deadline.
No Real ID After May 7?
There’s technically still a way to go through TSA without a Real ID after May 7. Currently, there’s a process for passengers who show up at an airport without an ID. In such a case, the passenger will have to confirm their identity and will be required to undergo additional screening. After May 7, non-Real ID passengers would be subject to this process.
Unfortunately, we can expect a good amount of confusion at airports when May 7th comes around. There will be a number of passengers who show up without Real IDs, whether they couldn’t get one or they had no idea about the enforcement. It’s just bound to happen.
In addition to Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses, you can also use a passport, a passport card, or a trusted traveler card (Global Entry) as a Real ID. For several days after May 7th, I would advise everyone to arrive at the airport earlier than usual and utilize any facial ID/preclearance lanes you can use.
All photos taken by the author.
