Who Needs REAL ID at Airport Security Checkpoints?
Travelers age 18 and older using a state-issued driver's license or identification card at a TSA checkpoint need a REAL ID-compliant credential or another TSA-accepted form of identification. TSA generally does not require identification from children under 18 on domestic trips.
Timeline
- 2025-05-07: TSA stopped accepting noncompliant state driver's licenses and identification cards as ordinary checkpoint identification.
- Before each trip: Travelers should recheck TSA's current accepted-identification list because it can change.
- At the checkpoint: A traveler without acceptable identification may be offered identity verification and additional screening, but entry is not guaranteed.
At U.S. airport security checkpoints, adult passengers age 18 and older must present valid identification. Since May 7, 2025, a state-issued driver's license or identification card used for that purpose must be REAL ID compliant. An adult does not have to obtain a REAL ID card specifically if the traveler carries another identification document on TSA's accepted list. [1][2]
Accepted alternatives include a U.S. passport or passport card, certain DHS trusted-traveler cards, Department of Defense identification, permanent-resident cards, federally recognized tribal photo identification and other documents listed by TSA. The list is subject to change, so a traveler should check the current TSA page shortly before departure rather than relying on an old screenshot or social-media post. [1]
The airport rule is about the document shown to TSA, not the traveler's state of residence or citizenship. It also applies to TSA PreCheck passengers. A standard state license that is not REAL ID compliant is no longer accepted as ordinary checkpoint identification, although an Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced ID issued by a participating jurisdiction appears separately on TSA's accepted list. [1][2]
TSA generally does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States. Airlines can have their own age, custody or unaccompanied-minor documentation rules, and an unaccompanied minor seeking TSA PreCheck expedited screening must show acceptable identification. Families should therefore check both TSA guidance and the operating airline's requirements. [1]
REAL ID does not replace a passport for international travel. A REAL ID-compliant license is a domestic identity credential and cannot establish the international travel permissions that a passport or destination-specific document provides. Travelers going abroad should follow the passport, visa and entry-document rules for the itinerary in addition to airport screening requirements. [1][2]
A passenger who arrives without acceptable identification may be asked to complete TSA's identity-verification process and may receive additional screening. Travel is not guaranteed: TSA says a passenger cannot enter the checkpoint after declining to cooperate or when identity cannot be confirmed. Bringing an accepted document is more reliable than planning to use this contingency process. [1]
Before leaving for the airport, an adult traveler should inspect the state credential for the jurisdiction's REAL ID marking or choose another document from TSA's accepted list, confirm that the name is consistent with the reservation and review current expiration guidance. Questions about whether a state card is compliant should go to the issuing motor-vehicle agency; questions about airline rules for minors should go to the airline. [1][2]
Sources
- TSA — Acceptable identification at the security checkpoint
- TSA — REAL ID enforcement guidance for travelers age 18 and older