Driver’s licenses issued in California and elsewhere will no longer be sufficient for air travel unless they meet federal standards. Beginning October 2020, TSA checkpoints nationwide will require federally compliant state-issued Real IDs for domestic flights.
California began issuing federally compliant Real IDs starting in early 2018. At that time, 25 states and Washington, D.C. had already adopted compliant Real IDs, while a handful of states—Maine, Missouri, Minnesota and Montana—had not. Some states, including California, were operating under extensions that allowed federal agencies to accept non-compliant IDs for a limited period.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has described Real ID as part of a broader national security approach: “Secure driver’s licenses and identification documents are a vital component of a holistic national security strategy. Real ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the Federal Government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.”
To obtain a federally compliant ID, residents must apply in person at their state DMV and present required documentation. Several states faced earlier enforcement dates; for example, beginning January 22, 2018, residents of Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington needed an alternate form of identification to fly within the United States if their state had not yet issued Real IDs.
Travelers who do not have a Real ID after the enforcement date can still board domestic flights using other approved documents. Acceptable alternatives include a valid passport, a permanent resident card, a U.S. military ID and other documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security.