What You Need to Know About Real ID and Travel

Here’s what to know about Real ID.

A few basics about Real ID:

• To get a Real ID, you need to present documents to your motor vehicle department proving your age and identity, Social Security number and address. That generally means bringing a birth certificate or passport, a Social Security card or tax form such as a W-2, and two proofs of address. If you’ve changed your name through marriage, you’ll need a marriage certificate.
• Although the Real ID is also a driver’s license, the old-style driver’s license is still lawful for driving and still an option in many states. New Jersey, for example, continues to issue standard state licenses marked with the words “Not for ‘REAL ID’ purposes.”
• A proposed federal rule would have allowed TSA to consider a phased approach to Real ID enforcement. “Every air traveler 18 years of age and older must have a Real ID-compliant ID or another form of acceptable ID at airport checkpoints,” said TSA spokesperson R. Carter Langston via a November 2024 email.
• Alternative IDs include passports, passport cards, U.S. military IDs, an ID from the federal Trusted Traveler Program (such as a Global Entry card) and Real ID-compliant mobile driver’s licenses. Five states — Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington — offer Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL), which are also acceptable alternatives to Real ID and provide proof of U.S. citizenship. For international travel, you’ll still need a passport.
• Don’t assume a Real ID is acceptable for all types of travel. In 2023, a woman contacted Couch-Friedman about an ID-related cruise mishap. The traveler thought a Real ID would work as identification for a cruise from Baltimore to the Caribbean and back. But when the woman and her husband arrived at the ship, they weren’t allowed on board. The reason: Real ID doesn’t offer proof of citizenship, so it’s not acceptable for a closed-loop cruise (a cruise that begins and ends in the same U.S. port). Acceptable ID would have included an Enhanced Driver’s License, passport, or birth certificate.
• Beware of scammers taking advantage of the confusion over the new rule. They are sending out phishing emails, texts, and calls that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as your state DMV or the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the new requirement. The messages will entice you to click on links so criminals can obtain your personal information or download malware onto your computer. Know that DMVs will never ask you to provide personal information by text or email.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published Aug. 23, 2019. It was updated to reflect that Real ID is in effect.