Federal REAL ID requirement coming to FAT on May 7

Starting Wednesday, May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need to have a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license, instruction permit or identification card or another acceptable form of ID to board a U.S. commercial aircraft.

To determine if a California driver’s license or identification card is REAL ID-compliant, look for a bear + star in the top right corner. The presence of this image will indicate that the credential is REAL ID-compliant.

Once enforcement begins, passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID-compliant and who do not have another acceptable form of photo identification can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint, if their identity cannot be verified.

TSA has a full list of acceptable forms of identification beyond a state-issued driver’s license or identification card that can be presented at the security checkpoint for identity verification. For more information about all acceptable forms of identification, please visit the TSA’s website: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

REAL ID background
Congress passed The REAL ID Act in 2005, enacting a recommendation from the 9/11Commission that established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. The Act further prohibited federal agencies, including the TSA, from
accepting state-issued driver’s licenses or identification cards that do not meet the minimum standards. REAL ID is intended to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver’s licenses and identification cards while inhibiting the ability of terrorists and others to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.

California DMV and REAL ID
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) began issuing REAL ID-complaint licenses and identification cards in January 2018. Eligibility requirements include providing proof of identity, proof of California residency and a trip to the DMV. Applicants will be asked
to provide their Social Security number of the REAL ID application. More information on applying for a REAL ID in California is available at www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licensesidentification- cards/real-id/.

Signs are currently posted at airports nationwide reminding the public that REAL ID-compliant licenses or other acceptable forms of identification will be mandatory for commercial air travel beginning May 7, 2025. More information and Frequently Asked Questions on  REAL ID can be found at www.tsa.gov/real-id.