REAL ID enforcement to begin next year

Terry Craig
·2 min read

TRI-CITIES, Tenn. (WJHL) – The countdown is on to get a REAL ID before facing certain limitations next year.

Beginning May 7, 2025, the REAL ID Act of 2005 will go into effect. Anyone ages 18 and older must have REAL ID credentials to access certain federal facilities, board commercial flights, and enter nuclear power plants and military bases.

A white star inside a yellow circle on a driver’s license signals that travelers have a REAL ID.

Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Communications Director Wes Moster said that REAL IDs are an added layer of security.

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“After 9/11, one thing the federal government found was that the terrorists of 9/11 had multiple IDs and multiple names in multiple states,” Moster said.

The biggest change from a legacy ID to a REAL ID is the ability to board a flight. However, a U.S. passport may also be used to board a flight if you do not have a REAL ID.

There’s still plenty that travelers can do without a star on your license.

“To go vote, to drive, to buy alcohol or tobacco or anything else, a REAL ID is not needed,” Moster said.

To apply for a REAL ID, people must provide one proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence, a valid Social Security number and two proofs of residency in the state in which they reside.

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In addition, if there has been a name change, a certified legal document supporting the name change must be presented with the approved documents. All documents must be original or certified.

Moster said documents can be uploaded ahead of time to make sure that people have the correct documents.

“You can upload your documents, and we’ll vet them ahead of time,” Moster said.

The first application for a REAL ID must be made in person at a Driver Services Center or a participating county clerk’s office.

Of the 5.8 million valid credentials in Tennessee, 1.6 million citizens have yet to decide about obtaining a REAL ID.

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