Real ID requirement starts in less than 2 weeks

The Real ID deadline is almost here. (Source: CNN Newsource, Canva)
Published: Apr. 24, 2025 at 10:41 AM CDT
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(CNN) - The Real ID deadline is almost here.

Starting May 7, adults will have to present Real ID-compliant identification to board a domestic flight. That means driver’s licenses or other state-issued identification must have the stamped markings on the right-hand corner.

Travelers will still be able to use ports as an alternative form of identification at the airport.

Processing times and fees vary by state. In some states, it could take up to 20 days to get a hard copy of the ID.

The travel requirement was originally scheduled to take effect in 2020, however, it was pushed back because of a backlog at the Department of Motor Vehicle offices across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.