A Real ID Won’t Be Required in These 5 States — What Travelers Will Need Instead

• A REAL ID is a state-issued driver’s license or identification card that meets the minimum standards set by the REAL ID Act
• Wednesday, May 7, is the last day U.S. adults can travel nationwide without a REAL ID (or another accepted form of identification)
• Five states are exempt from this new requirement: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington

The REAL ID deadline is approaching on Wednesday, May 7. As of that date, all U.S. adults will be required to have this form of ID or another accepted form of identification on hand to access federal facilities, when entering nuclear power plants and when boarding commercial aircraft, per the Department of Homeland Security.

The initial REAL ID deadline was in 2020, but was eventually pushed back due to the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid the new deadline, five states will not require REAL ID: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington.

Residents of these states are given several options when applying for identification, such as a standard license/ID or Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL) and Enhanced IDs (EID). EDL and EIDs can also be used as proof of identification and citizenship for travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, both in aviation and maritime travel.

A REAL ID is a state-issued driver’s license or identification card that meets the minimum standards set by the REAL ID Act, which was passed in 2005. Congress enacted the act upon the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.”

To obtain a REAL ID, applicants must present documentation verifying their full name and date of birth (such as a birth certificate), a social security number and at least two documents that serve as proof of address.

REAL ID cards have a star on the top corner of the card. For some states, the star may be gold, while other states feature black stars on their IDs. The stars may also be inside a circle. A California REAL ID has the star inside a gold bear. EDL and EIDs have an image of the U.S. flag and the word “enhanced” at the top of the card.

Outside of a REAL ID, travelers are also permitted to use a U.S. passport, permanent resident card, Enhanced Tribal Card, foreign-government-issued passport, and several other Transportation Security Administration-approved identification card methods, per the TSA