Five things to know about the Real ID deadline

The deadline for Americans to obtain a Real ID is set to arrive on Wednesday after years of delays.

Starting Wednesday, every adult will need this specific type of identification to travel on domestic flights and access certain federal facilities, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The policy change comes from recommendations made in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But with the policy about to be in place, many are still without these IDs and are scrambling to quickly secure one.

Here’s what you need to know about the Real ID deadline:

What is a Real ID?

The Real ID, unlike other forms of identification that people may carry like driver’s licenses, has certain security features that better help the federal government pick up fraudulent identities.

One defining feature of these IDs that can tell people if theirs is a Real ID is a star in the upper right corner of the card. Otherwise, these IDs will mostly look the same as a driver’s license.

Being able to easily board a commercial domestic flight is the most widespread use that people will have for these IDs, as a driver’s license will no longer be enough to have access starting Wednesday. They would also grant access to certain federal facilities like those for federal agencies.

But activities like accessing museums that don’t require identification or hospitals and participating in law enforcement proceedings are excluded from this requirement.

Why is the government requiring them?

After the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., the 9/11 Commission crafted a report with a range of recommendations for the federal government to implement to prevent similar attacks from happening in the future.

President George W. Bush signed the bipartisan Real ID Act into law in 2005 following the commission’s recommendation. The legislation set requirements for what information a person must provide to their state before being issued a driver’s license or another form of identification and what information must be included on the card they receive.

States are also required to verify the information that an applicant gives them before issuing the card.

The federal government is not forming any national database based on this information, as states, territories and districts still issue their own licenses, maintain their own records and determine who has access to those records. But the Real ID requirements make the public’s identification documents more consistent nationwide and secure, according to DHS.

How do I get a new ID?

All 50 states, five U.S. territories and Washington, D.C., are issuing Real ID cards for those who need them. People can claim them at Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices near where they live.

DHS says people should visit their DMV website to learn what documentation is required to receive a Real ID. At minimum, applicants will need to show documentation of their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two pieces of proof of their principal address and lawful status in the country.

A person’s first application for a Real ID must be done in person, but subsequent renewals later will be allowed to be done online.

What happens if I don’t have one?

While people are not actually required to obtain a Real ID for their daily lives, having one will make commercial domestic air travel and accessing those federal facilities considerably easier. Still, workarounds do exist for those who are unable to receive one before the deadline or who choose not to.

A passport, already required for international flights, will be accepted as an alternative on domestic flights. Other accepted forms of identification include permanent resident cards, foreign government-issued passports and Enhanced Driver’s Licenses that Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont issue, even though most do not contain the star.

DHS warns that those who don’t have a Real ID or acceptable alternative starting Wednesday could face additional delays and screenings and possibly not be permitted past a security checkpoint.

How many people currently have one?

States have offered Real IDs at DMV offices for years, but many still don’t have them. The deadline was repeatedly delayed, most recently over the COVID-19 pandemic.

A CBS News analysis conducted last month found less than 50 percent of IDs in at least 17 states were compliant with the requirements. Thirty states were less than 70 percent compliant, the outlet reported.

New Jersey had the lowest compliance rate with just 17 percent of all IDs. The state also has one of the highest percentages of residents with passports, so many have an alternative, but it is rolling out additional appointment availabilities this month to give more people an opportunity to obtain a real ID.

The Transportation Security Administration reported last month that 81 percent of travelers at its checkpoints present an acceptable form of identification, including Real IDs. The agency said it expects the number of passengers obtaining these IDs to “steadily increase” and plans to continue additional security measures for those without them until it is no longer considered a “security vulnerability.”