Is Your ID Good Enough to Travel in 2020?

Beginning next fall, your driver’s license may not be enough to get you through US airport security and onto your domestic flight.

Starting Oct. 1, 2020, every traveler 18 years of age and older will need a “REAL ID-compliant” driver’s license, US passport, US military ID or other accepted identification to fly within the United States.

The REAL ID Act established minimum security standards for the issuing of state licenses and their production. It also prohibits federal agencies from accepting licenses from states not meeting those minimum standards for certain activities, such as boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

In most states, there is a star on the front of a driver’s license that will signify if it is REAL ID compliant. If you see this, youxe2x80x99re good to go. However, a few states have issued compliant IDs without a star (Hawaii, Ohio, Tennessee and Utah). So itxe2x80x99s best to confirm with your state directly if you donxe2x80x99t see a star. An easy way to know your license is not compliant is if it says xe2x80x9cNot for Federal Identificationxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cFederal Limits Apply.xe2x80x9d

To get a REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license, the US Department of Homeland Security requires applicants provide documentation showing their full legal name, their date of birth, their Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence and lawful status. Certain states may have more requirements. If youxe2x80x99re not sure, contact your state driverxe2x80x99s license agency on how to get a REAL ID-compliant card.

No REAL ID, No Boarding

If you don’t have acceptable identification, your US airport’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint will not clear you for flight.

“We have real concerns, based on some recent surveys we did, that 99 million Americans do not have any form of REAL ID-compliant identification,” said Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy at the U.S. Travel Association, a national, non-profit industry organization.

This leads to another concern: Over half of Americans (57%) are unaware of this deadline, said Barnes, according to a recent U.S. Travel survey.

The Department of Homeland Security recently reported that 47 out of 50 states are currently REAL ID compliant. The remaining states xe2x80x94 New Jersey, Oklahoma and Oregon xe2x80x94 aren’t yet issuing REAL ID-compliant cards. In Pennsylvania, REAL ID-compliant documents are available, but not required, which can lead to confusion.

And while most states offer more secure identification, only 27% of Americans have been issued a REAL ID, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Many states have been issuing compliant documents for years, but driver’s licenses and other documents issued before the adoption of REAL ID standards don’t meet the requirements. For example, Georgia became compliant in 2012 while California became compliant in 2018. But driver’s licenses issued prior to that time in those states are not compliant.

9/11 and the REAL ID Act

Formulated in the aftermath of 9/11 and passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act was created to xe2x80x9cset standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driverxe2x80x99s licenses.xe2x80x9d Its goal was to eliminate airline terrorism by increasing requirements to obtain documents allowing access to domestic planes.

It has taken the federal government nearly 15 years to implement the act fully xe2x80x94 a gradual process that has been met with confusion as each state has a different status. However, all states must be in compliance by Oct. 1, 2020.

Since the act’s 2005 passage, the federal government has implemented TSA Pre-Check and other programs that offer more security than REAL ID, says Barnes. The U.S. Travel Association is in talks with federal authorities to see if they’ll consider membership in those programs as a substitute for REAL ID.

The REAL ID Act is a major concern to U.S. Travel, which represents major airlines, hotels, state and local tourism boards and other travel industry members that could lose customers who suddenly can’t fly within the United States beginning Oct. 1, 2020.

What Qualifies as REAL ID?

xe2x80xa2 REAL ID-compliant state driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards

xe2x80xa2 US passport

xe2x80xa2 US passport card

xe2x80xa2 DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)

xe2x80xa2 US Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents

xe2x80xa2 Permanent resident card

xe2x80xa2 Border crossing card

xe2x80xa2 State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License

xe2x80xa2 Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID

xe2x80xa2 HSPD-12 PIV card

xe2x80xa2 Foreign government-issued passport

xe2x80xa2 Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card

xe2x80xa2 Transportation worker identification credential

xe2x80xa2 US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)

xe2x80xa2 US Merchant Mariner Credential

Check the Department of Homeland Security website for more information.

Read the original article here.