May 6, 2025 - News

Real ID air travel requirement finally here

Illustration of an American flag with stripes made out of passports and ID cards and fingerprints for stars. — Look for the star on your ID. Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Starting Wednesday, U.S. airports will require travelers to present a Real ID at TSA checkpoints, military bases and secure federal buildings.

Many North Texas DPS offices are booked for months for ID renewals, but you can use a passport for domestic flights in the meantime. Check which documents to take to your appointment.

The big picture: Real IDs are forms of identification that are validated using federal documents, such as passports.

98% of Texans already had a REAL ID as of April 17, per the Texas DPS.

Flashback: President George W. Bush signed the Real ID law in 2005, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

But the deadline has been pushed several times.

How it works: All domestic travelers will have to present a Real ID, their passport or a permanent resident card. The TSA website notes other acceptable forms of identification.

Texas driver's licenses have a gold star at the top right to indicate that they are a Real ID.

Reality check: You don't need a Real ID to drive, vote or open a bank account.

TSA doesn't require children under 18 to provide identification for domestic travel.

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Real ID air travel requirement finally here

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