WASHINGTON — The long-delayed deadline for REAL ID is now just six months away. But there's still a chance that full enforcement may get gradually rolled out. On May 7, 2025, state-level ID cards, such as driver's licenses, won't be accepted for federal purposes, such as getting through airport security, unless they are REAL ID-compliant.
The federally-mandated switch was originally signed into law by Congress in 2005 , establishing "minimum security standards for license issuance and production," according to the DHS website. The law, established four years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in response to federal calls for higher security standards in the U.S.
, has been looming for nearly two decades. The latest twist came in September when the Transportation Security Administration proposed a two-year transition period starting in May. It suggested agencies would begin "enforcement in phases" for anybody trying to use their ID for federal purposes, including for getting through airport security.
Originally, the law mandated the switch to REAL IDs by 2008 , but that date has been pushed back year after year because of the logistical hurdles that naturally come with changing how hundreds of millions of people fly every year , as well as the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the TSA's proposal, "as of January 2024, only approximately 56 percent of DL/IDs in circulation nationally are REAL ID-compliant." With the deadline now less than six months away, offici.
