United States REAL ID requirement takes effect May 7 for domestic air travel; Florida residents must visit DMV offices in person to obtain compliant identification cards

April 29, 2025 (Miami Herald) –

Travelers will soon need a new form of identification at the airport.

The deadline to get a REAL ID is May 7 .

Here’s what to know as the deadline approaches:

How do you get a REAL ID?

You may already have one if you got your last driver’s license at a Florida DMV. You’ll need to go to a driver’s license or tax collector’s office if you don’t yet have a REAL ID.

You can’t obtain a REAL ID online or through the mail.

“Customers must visit an office to become REAL ID compliant the first time,” according to the Florida department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

What is REAL ID?

The agency says REAL ID “is a national effort to improve the integrity and security of state-issued driver licenses and identification cards, which in turn will help fight terrorism and reduce identity fraud.”

TSA at the airport will be asking for it starting May 7 .

How do you know if your driver’s license is a REAL ID?

A REAL ID driver’s license or state identifcation card can be easily identified by a star inside a circle in the upper right corner of the card. If your license has the star, it meets REAL ID standards. If not, you should apply for it as soon as possible at a driver’s license office.

Travelers in the U.S. will be required to comply with REAL ID regulations to board flights and access certain federal facilities.

According to the Department of Homeland Security , travelers can’t board domestic flights without a REAL ID card unless they have a U.S. passport. The regulation on domestic travelers follows a measure passed in 2005 to increase national security after the Sept. 11, 2001 , terrorist attacks.

What happens if you arrive at the airport without a Real ID?

If you go to the airport without a Real ID, passport or another acceptable piece of identification after May 7 , the Department of Homeland Security says you “can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.”

The Transportation Security Administration states that fliers without acceptable identification will need to undergo additional security procedures.

These ID requirements apply to everyone age 18 or older, including people with TSA PreCheck. People whose identity cannot be confirmed or who refuse to complete the additional screening will not be able to pass through airport security, according to the TSA .

©2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.