The deadline for requiring Real ID-compliant identification for air travel in the United States has been extended by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The new deadline is now May 7, 2025, pushed back from the original date of May 3, 2023.
Driver’s License and State IDs
The extension is intended to give states more time to issue driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the enhanced security standards outlined in the Real ID Act. According to DHS, the issuance of these IDs has been slowed by the backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not the first time the deadline for the new IDs has been extended. In the past, extensions were due to a lack of full compliance by states with the requirements for issuing more secure driver’s licenses.
The previous deadline, October 2021, was pushed to May 2023 due to the difficulties caused by the pandemic in accessing state motor vehicle departments to obtain new IDs.
WireTelegram 