Passed by Congress in 2005
following a 9/11 Commission recommendation, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum
security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.
All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and four of five U.S. territories
covered by the REAL ID Act and related regulations are issuing REAL
ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards.
With today's announcement,
beginning May 7, 2025, every traveler 18 years of age or older will need a REAL
ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, state-issued enhanced
driver’s license, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport
security checkpoints for domestic air travel.