REAL ID required since May 2025

Borderless Magazine published a May 13 refresher telling travelers that REAL ID has already been required for domestic air travel in the United States for more than a year. The federal deadline took effect on May 7, 2025, when the Transportation Security Administration began full enforcement at checkpoints nationwide, according to TSA and the Department of Homeland Security. Travelers 18 and older now need a REAL ID-compliant state license or another accepted form of identification to board a commercial flight within the United States. (tsa.gov) Borderless framed its guide as a reminder ahead of the 2026 summer travel season. (tsa.gov) ### When did REAL ID actually become mandatory for domestic flights? May 7, 2025 was the federal enforcement date. TSA said in an April 11, 2025 release that it would begin full REAL ID enforcement on that date, and DHS said on May 7, 2025 that the measures were in effect at TSA checkpoints nationwide. The REAL ID requirement applies to air travelers 18 and older flying domestically and to people seeking access to certain federal facilities, according to TSA and DHS. The agencies said the law does not require a REAL ID for every purpose tied to driving or identification, only for federally defined official purposes. (borderlessmag.org) ### What counts as a REAL ID-compliant license? TSA says a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state identification card is issued by a state and marked to show compliance, while some enhanced driver’s licenses also qualify. TSA’s online “Are you REAL ID Ready?” tool tells travelers to look for a star or, in some cases, an “Enhanced” marking on the card. (tsa.gov) Borderless, writing for Illinois readers, said residents should check whether their card is compliant before heading to the airport. Its guide said REAL ID is also used for entry to some federal buildings. (tsa.gov) ### Can you still fly if you do not have a REAL ID? A U.S. passport and other TSA-accepted identification documents can still be used in place of a REAL ID-compliant license. TSA’s public guidance says travelers need either a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to board a domestic commercial aircraft. (tsa.gov) Borderless separately noted in an earlier explainer that a passport can satisfy the identification requirement for flying within the United States. That means travelers who do not have an updated driver’s license are not automatically barred from travel if they bring another accepted document. (borderlessmag.org) ### What happens at the airport if your license is not compliant? TSA said travelers presenting a noncompliant ID after enforcement began would face additional screening measures and possible travel delays. DHS used the same language in its May 7, 2025 announcement. (tsa.gov) The agencies did not say in those releases that every traveler without a REAL ID would be turned away in every case, but they did say the requirement was in force and that accepted identification is needed to board. Borderless warned readers to check their documents before peak summer travel to avoid problems at the airport. (borderlessmag.org) ### Where should travelers check before a summer trip? TSA’s REAL ID pages direct travelers to an interactive readiness tool and to state-by-state guidance on compliant licenses and IDs. DHS also maintains a REAL ID information page and frequently asked questions explaining the federal rules and acceptable uses. (tsa.gov) May 2026 travel planning now falls more than a year after the enforcement deadline, and Borderless said its May 13 article was intended as a refresher rather than a new rule change. Travelers can verify their documents on TSA and DHS websites before arriving at the airport for summer flights. (tsa.gov) (borderlessmag.org) (tsa.gov)