A state-issued ID card is often all you need to board a domestic flight in the US, but the REAL ID Act could soon make flying within the U.S. tougher for many Americans.
The REAL ID Act, a mandate that determines what kind of identification can be used to access federal buildings and board federally regulated aircrafts, while begin to toughen the requirements to fly domestically, and some state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards may not be sufficient to board an airplane. The measure, which aims to increase security for federal buildings and planes, will take effect next year, and more than half of states are compliant with the REAL ID Act’s regulations. Other states, including California, New York and Illinois, have either filed for an extension or are currently under review.
Domestic travelers that live in a non-compliant state will be able to use a driver’s license to fly domestically until January 22, 2018, but if your state has not met the mandates by then, travelers must fly with a different form of TSA-approved identification, like a military ID or a passport.
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To see a full list of the acceptable forms of identification you may need to have if your state is not compliant, visit tsa.gov.
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