You can keep traveling with an old ID until 2025. Real ID deadline delayed (again).

Zach Wichter, USA TODAY
·2 min read
13

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that the Real ID deadline would be extended another two years, delaying implementation until May 7, 2025. The law was previously set to come into effect on May 3.

"The extension is necessary, in part, to address the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability to obtain a REAL ID driver's license or identification card. REAL ID progress over the past two years has been significantly hindered by state driver’s licensing agencies having to work through the backlogs created by the pandemic," a statement from the DHS said. "Many of these agencies took various steps in response to the pandemic including automatically extending the expiration dates of driver’s licenses and identification cards and shifting operations to appointment only."

Real ID: What you need to know

Pack like a pro: Tips to use your luggage efficiently

The Real ID law was passed by Congress in 2005 and is meant to establish minimum security standards for state-issued forms of identification like driver's licenses. Once the law takes effect, travelers will need to present a compliant ID in order to board an airplane.

What is Real ID?

Real ID is a set of federal standards for state-issued identification documents.

"Security standards include incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be," DHS said in a statement. "Under the new regulations, 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."

Safety first!: Why it's safer to leave your phone in airplane mode when you fly

How do I know if I have a Real ID?

Real ID-compliant documents are typically marked with a gold or black star, or gold or black circle with a star outline in the center of the upper portion of the card. California uses a gold bear with a star cutout.

According to DHS, as of March 26, 2021, 55 states and territories were issuing Real ID-compliant documents for new and renewing applicants.

Airline passengers prepare to enter a security checkpoint at San Francisco International Airport on April 19, 2022, in San Francisco.
Airline passengers prepare to enter a security checkpoint at San Francisco International Airport on April 19, 2022, in San Francisco.

Can I travel without a Real ID?

For now, yes. Until the Real ID enforcement begins on May 7, 2025, older, noncompliant documents will still be accepted at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. After the deadline, you'll need a Real ID document to travel, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll need to get a new driver's license. Passports and other IDs issued by the federal government will be accepted.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Real ID enforcement deadline pushed to May 2025