The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending the deadline for Real ID driver’s licenses or identification cards by two years, meaning Americans will have until 2025 to get their new identification cards.
Originally set for enforcement in October 2020, the deadline was extended first to 2021, then to 2023 because of pandemic delays.
In the statement, the DHS said progress over the past two years issuing Real IDs has been “significantly hindered by state driver’s licensing agencies having to work through the backlogs created by the pandemic.”
During COVID-19 shutdowns, some state agencies automatically extended the expiration date of driver’s licenses and ID cards, while others moved to online or appointment-only operations—meaning that some Americans may not have found a convenient time to get a new Real ID-compliant ID card by the previous deadline.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement that the DHS continues to work closely with states to meet Real ID requirements by the new deadline.
“This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a Real ID-compliant license or identification card,” Mayorkas said. “DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”
After the new deadline, all U.S. travelers ages 18 and older taking domestic flights will need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card to fly, unless they have a passport or military ID.
Real ID-compliant identification cards are marked by a black or gold star symbol in the top right corner of the card in most states.
“We encourage Californians not to procrastinate getting a Real ID because you’ll still need one if you plan to use your driver’s license or identification card to fly within the U.S. when the new federal requirements take effect,” California DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a Dec. 5 statement.
The United States began a shift toward heightened security for travel after Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005, following the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses,” according to the DHS website.
Security standards incorporated since then include anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to verify a person’s identity.
To obtain a Real ID-compliant identification card, the DHS recommends visiting a state’s driver licensing agency website, finding the necessary documentation, and applying online.
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