By Carly Coombs | Posted: Feb. 14, 2025

After many years of delays, the Transportation Security Administration says the new Real ID requirements for air travelers will be going into effect on May 7, 2025.

The deadline to ensure your ID meets the updated standards is May 7, and this will apply to anyone 18 and older traveling through a U.S. airport after the deadline. Children under 18 will not be required to have a Real ID.

The law requiring the implementation of Real ID was passed in 2005 to address security concerns raised after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and create national standards for issuing identification cards such as driver’s licenses.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, only about 56% of U.S. IDs are compliant with Real ID standards as of January, with the department estimating only 61% will be ready by the deadline.

To know if your ID meets the standards, look for a star on the corner of your driver’s license. (If you have a California license, it will be a yellow bear with a star inside). The star will look slightly different based on your state, and you can find examples here.

Look for one of these markers on your driver’s license. (Only California licenses will have the bear.)

U.S. passports and passport cards can also be used instead of a driver’s license if your ID is not up to the new standards and you haven’t obtained a new one. (Other forms of ID will also be accepted by TSA, and you can find a list here.)

To receive an updated ID, you’ll need to go through your state’s driver’s license agency to receive a new one. Some states may have unique requirements for applying for a driver’s license, but, at minimum, you can expect to need to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, two items proving your address, and proof of legal status. You can find your state’s DMV website here.

TSA has indicated it will use a “phased enforcement” approach, with the agency saying it will provide more information on the enforcement on tsa.gov.