REAL ID Requirement Delayed

The requirement for airline passengers to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification to board commercial flights has been delayed by the federal government until at least Oct. 1, 2021. The deadline extension gives travelers an additional year to get a REAL ID to fly commercially unless they plan to use another acceptable form of federal identification such as a U.S. passport or military ID.

Amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, federal officials want to avoid large crowds at DMV offices across the country as travelers seek the new identification. 

The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, established minimum security standards for state-issued driver licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies such as TSA from accepting licenses and IDs that do not meet the new standards.