Real ID Deadline: What If You Already Have an Enhanced ID?

If you're one of the millions of Americans wondering whether your current identification will be enough to board a domestic flight next month, you're not alone.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—are now REAL ID–compliant and issuing REAL ID–compliant driver's licenses and ID cards.

With the May 7 deadline for REAL ID rapidly approaching, state and federal officials are urging Americans to understand how the new protocol differs from the current standard.

Why It Matters

Due to a law passed by Congress back in 2005 that has been repeatedly extended for two decades, anyone traveling on domestic flights must have the new REAL ID to get through routine security protocols and board a plane. REAL ID also allows access to some federal buildings and nuclear facilities. The deadline of May 7 now appears set and is unlikely to be extended again.

As the deadline looms, confusion remains about whether an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)—which are available only in New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington and Vermont—is interchangeable with a REAL ID. EDLs show a U.S. flag and the word "Enhanced" at the top.

What to Know

While standard driver's licenses won't be enough for U.S. travelers 18 and older to fly domestically any longer, residents of the five above-mentioned states can breathe easy if they already have an EDL, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont are considered acceptable alternatives to REAL ID–compliant cards," the agency says. "Most EDLs do not contain the star marking, and this is acceptable."

In New York, the state DMV makes the distinction clear: "A REAL ID is optional and is not needed for voting, driving, or receiving federal benefits," according to its guidance.

In short, residents who already have an EDL do not need to apply for a separate REAL ID. These enhanced licenses are also the only state-issued IDs that allow U.S. citizens to re-enter the country by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, and certain Caribbean nations—a perk not covered by REAL IDs.

Traveling Without a REAL ID: What You Need to Know

Travelers who do not obtain either form of compliant ID by the deadline can still use a valid U.S. passport or a DHS Trusted Traveler card (such as Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI) to board domestic flights.

Children under 18 will not be required to have a REAL ID when flying domestically with an adult companion who has acceptable identification, per TSA guidelines.

Federal officials stress that the REAL ID Act is not a national identification system. Each state maintains its own records and determines how IDs are issued, but all must adhere to the same minimum standards for those IDs to be federally accepted.

"There is no federal database," the DHS states. "Each jurisdiction continues to issue its own unique license, maintains its own records, and controls who gets access to those records and under what circumstances" .

What People Are Saying

TSA Administrator David Pekoske in January: "Identity verification is foundational to security. I urge those who use a driver's license or state-issued identity card as their primary form of identification to access federal facilities or board commercial passenger aircraft, to ensure these credentials are REAL ID-compliant. We are committed to engaging with the public, licensing jurisdictions and states to facilitate a smooth transition to REAL ID enforcement beginning May 7, 2025."

What Happens Next

Federal agencies, including the DHS and the Transportation Security Administration, will only accept state-issued IDs that meet REAL ID standards for access to federal facilities, including TSA airport security checkpoints.

For anyone still carrying a standard ID not marked for federal use, time is running out. DMV offices are already dealing with increased wait lines as the May 7 deadline nears. Yet for those already holding an Enhanced ID in one of the issuing states, no action is required.

It is also important to note that neither EDLs or REAL IDs will grant travelers access to international flights, where passports will be still required to board.