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REAL ID deadline for air travelers extended to May 2025, US Dept. of Homeland Security says

FILE - In this April 6, 2016, file photo, a sign at the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Wash., is shown to inform visitors of the federal government's REAL ID act, which requires state driver's licenses and ID cards to have security enhancements and be issued to people who can prove they're legally in the United States. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign a measure Tuesday, May 16, 2017, that seeks to bring the state into compliance with federal identification requirements. Just 25 states and the District of Columbia are currently in compliance with the federal law, though most of the remaining states and territories have extensions. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) (Ted S. Warren, Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday that full enforcement of the REAL ID won’t take effect until May 7, 2025.

The extension was made due to what officials say “lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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The REAL ID, according to DHS, establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards. Security features include anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing fraud, and record checks.

Travelers over the age of 18 will be required to have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel by the May 2025 deadline.

How to know if your driver’s license is REAL ID-compliant?

According to DHS, REAL-ID compliant cards will have a marking on the top right corner. For Texas, that marking is a gold-circled star.

If your current driver’s license or ID does not have that marking, your ID is NOT REAL ID-compliant.

To get a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID, visit your nearest Texas DPS Driver’s License office. and provide the following:

  • Full legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Social Security number
  • Two proofs of address at primary residence
  • Lawful status

For more information about REAL ID, click here.


About the Author

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

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