Are you ready for the REAL ID deadline on October 1, 2020?
Without a REAL ID you won’t be allowed to board a plane or even a cruise ship starting October 1, 2020.
What is a REAL ID? It is an ID that is compliant with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s program originally passed in 2005. It is being phased in.
According to research, 72% of Americans either do not have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, or are unsure if they do, and 57% said they didn’t even know about the upcoming deadline.
If you have a U.S. passport, that is a qualified alternative. However, unless travelling outside the U.S., most people don’t carry their passport, but use their Driver’s License as an ID to pass through security in the airport. Unless it is REAL ID-compliant, you will not be able to pass through security.
I know that as of right now, my Driver’s License is not REAL-ID compliant. The State of Texas told me that in a letter and invited me to renew my license, in person, earlier that normal (over a year before). Look for a star in the upper right corner of your Driver’s License to see if it is REAL ID-compliant.