The Department of Homeland Security recently announced a 19-month extension of REAL ID enforcement dates, which pushes the deadline by which domestic travelers must use a valid REAL ID to May 3, 2023.
Covid-19 has significantly impacted states’ ability to issue REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, as many licensing agencies are still operating at limited capacity, the department said.
After May 3, 2023, every air traveler age 18 and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another Transportation and Safety Administration-acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel.
The REAL ID Modernization Act, which will streamline processing by allowing electronic submission of certain documents, also factored into the May 2023 deadline to renew identification so that Homeland Security and states had time to implement those changes.
