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REAL ID in Texas: Answering FAQs ahead of May 2025 deadline

FILE - A sign at the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Wash., is shown on April 6, 2016, 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 are legally in the United States. The deadline for obtaining the Real ID needed to board a domestic flight has been pushed back again, with the Department of Homeland Security citing the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the slower-than-expected rollout. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) (Ted S. Warren, Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HOUSTON – If you plan on traveling this year, you might want to make sure you have access to your REAL ID. And if this is your first time hearing about it, then we will do our best to catch you up to speed before the May 2025 deadline.

What is REAL ID?

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According to the Department of Homeland Security, Congress passed The REAL ID Act in 2005 by the 9/11 Commission — named after the terror attacks on September 2001 — recommending the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards.”

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

Chances are you might already have one, and may not know it but the REAL ID Act was meant to set up higher security standards and forbid federal agencies from simply accepting driver’s licenses and other ID cards. In other words, certain state-issued licenses are considered noncompliant, or not acceptable for “official use” by federal agencies. Those official purposes covered by the REAL ID Act include:

  • Accessing certain federal facilities;
  • Boarding Federally regulated commercial aircraft; and
  • Entering nuclear power plants.

Beginning May 7, 2025, anyone 18 years and older who plans to fly domestically or visit a certain federal facility will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification, like a passport.

How do I get a REAL ID in Texas?

According to the Department of Public Safety, Texas began issuing REAL ID-compliant cards on October 10, 2016, and cards marked with a gold circle with an inset star in the upper right-hand corner, as seen in the examples below.

(Photo courtesy of Texas Department of Public Safety) (Copyright 2025 by Texas Department of Public Safety - All rights reserved.)

All Texas driver’s licenses and identification cards, both compliant (star) and non-compliant (no star) are valid until the expiration date shown on the card. If you replaced or renewed your card after October 10, 2016, and have a gold star in the right-hand corner, your card is REAL ID compliant and no further action is required on your part. You may continue to use your compliant card for federal identification purposes until it expires.

If your card does not have the star, you can continue to use the card after May 7, 2025, but it will only be accepted for state-related purposes such as driving (driver license only), banking, and voting. It will not be accepted as identification for federal purposes.

What happens when the REAL ID enforcement date starts?

Federal agencies, including DHS and the Transportation Security Administration, may only accept state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards as identification for purposes of accessing federal facilities - including TSA airport security checkpoints - if the license or card was issued by a REAL ID-compliant state under the REAL ID security standards (meaning the license or card must include the REAL ID compliant star marking).

What happens if I’m in Texas and don’t have a REAL ID-compliant Texas Driver’s license or ID card?

If your driver’s license is still valid, you may continue to use it for non-federal purposes, such as operating a motor vehicle, voting, or banking. You will not be able to use it for federal identification purposes, such as boarding domestic flights or entering secure federal facilities, after May 7, 2025. If you attempt to present a non-compliant Texas driver’s license or identification card after May 7, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or other federal agency responsible for security will determine whether to permit you access/entrance or subject you to additional screening as prescribed by that agency.

To learn more about the REAL ID Act and how it will be applied in Texas, check out the DPS website by clicking here.


About the Author
Ahmed Humble headshot

Historian, educator, writer, expert on "The Simpsons," amateur photographer, essayist, film & tv reviewer and race/religious identity scholar. Joined KPRC 2 in Spring 2024 but has been featured in various online newspapers and in the Journal of South Texas' Fall 2019 issue.