Today’s the day. Starting May 7, 2025, 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 what you need to know today.
Appointment scheduling issues a factor at local DMV offices
Jim Schrader barely made it back to Rochester before the REAL ID requirements went into effect. He landed at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport late May 6 — passport in hand in case his flight was delayed or canceled. “If I didn’t have it, I’d be walking,” he said. The next day he was waiting in line at the Henrietta DMV to apply for his REAL ID. He made this appointment a month ago — it was the earliest one available — and arrived nearly a half hour early to his 1 p.m. slot. By 1:06 p.m., there were still nearly a dozen people ahead of him. He wouldn’t make it to the front for another half hour. “I thought with the appointment it’d be the one time I was in and out,” he said. “Obviously I was incorrect.”
Om Gupta was one of several people who showed up to the Henrietta DMV on May 7 without an appointment. “We’re going to try our luck,” he said.Three hours later, he and his wife left with only a suggestion to try for a same-day appointment at the Canandaigua DMV. Gupta said the couple learned of a family emergency this week that will require them to travel soon. There was some confusion around what travel documents they would need to fly; the family has U.S. passports, but were unsure if that was enough. They didn’t want to get stranded. Gupta checked online to make an appointment for a REAL ID but it showed nothing was available. Someone who answered a DMV help line told him the Henrietta location would accommodate emergency cases, even without an appointment, Gupta said. No such luck. The clerk at the Henrietta office suggested he try Canandaigua. It was already 2 p.m. by the time he left. Gupta and his wife, who are in their late 70s, complained of aches and pains from standing so long. “They’re following the rules but there is no leeway for somebody having an emergency,” he said. “That is the issue.”
‘So far, so good” at the Rochester NY airport
As of mid-morning, Andy Moore, director of the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, said that he was not aware of any disruptions at the airport connected to the new REAL ID guidelines.
“So far, so good,” Moore said.
Jason Guilford, a former Rochester resident who now lives in Tennessee, was traveling through the airport Wednesday morning and had secured his REAL ID well in advance of today’s deadline.
“In my every day life, I am a procrastinator,” he said. “But when it comes to certain important things I try to jump on it as soon as I can.”
Guilford said he had not noticed a difference when traveling through airport security checkpoints, but understood that the ID added “an extra layer of security. To me, its a nuisance, but rather safe than sorry.”
Smooth sailing at JFK
Everything appeared to be progressing smoothly at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York around 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Although it can be difficult for non-ticketed passengers to get near the Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in some terminals, the departure areas in Terminal 4, home to Delta Air Lines and Terminal 8, where American Airlines is based, were fairly quiet.
What is a REAL ID?
The REAL ID Act sets national security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. REAL IDs are marked with a black circle and white star in the top right corner.
Acceptable forms of REAL ID
According to the Transportation Security Administration, these are the acceptable forms of REAL ID:
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.
Do kids need a REAL ID to fly?
No. The Transportation Security Administration does not require children to show ID when flying domestically. Adults accompanying minors, however, must present valid identification.
What happens if I don’t have a REAL ID on May 7?
If you try to fly domestically or access secure federal buildings without a REAL ID or an approved alternative, you’ll be denied entry.
If you do not have a REAL ID, a 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.
How do I get a REAL ID?
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.
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.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: REAL ID deadline is here: Key info for travelers, live updates
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
