REAL ID Act

Apr 23, 2025 New York, NY

By: Patricia Gannon, Esq. and Marcela Bermudez, Esq.

The Department of Homeland Security will enforce the REAL ID Act, which sets document security requirements for domestic air travel and other federal purposes beginning May 7, 2025. Individuals age 18 or older will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant document or acceptable alternative identification in order to board a U.S. domestic flight on or after May 7.

The REAL ID Act requires U.S. states and territories to issue driver’s licenses and non-driver identification cards that meet strict security rules. Though REAL ID was enacted in 2005, full implementation was delayed numerous times to allow U.S. states to bring their driver’s license standards in line with the Act and allow individuals time to obtain compliant documents.

Domestic air travelers in the United States who are age 18 or older must present one of the following types of documents to board a flight:

A state-issued driver’s license or identification card that meets REAL ID requirements (a temporary license or ID is not acceptable); OR
An acceptable alternative form of identification. The following documents, among others, are approved for domestic air travel:
A U.S. passport;
A U.S. passport card;
A foreign government-issued passport;
A DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST program);
A U.S. permanent resident card (green card);
A USCIS employment authorization document (EAD)
A border crossing card;
A Canadian provincial driver’s license or an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card;
A U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents;
An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs); and
Certain other federal identification cards.

Please check the list of green-lighted documents, as the list can change without warning: Transportation Security Administration.

Please reach out to your Greenspoon Marder LLP Immigration & Naturalization Practice Group for any further questions or concerns.

About Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder LLP is a full-service law firm with over 225 attorneys and more than 20 office locations across the United States. With operations from Miami to New York and from Denver to Los Angeles, our firm attracts some of the nation’s top talent in key markets and innovation hubs. Our core practice areas include Real Estate, Litigation, and Transactional Services, complemented by the capabilities of a full-service firm. Greenspoon Marder has maintained a spot on The American Lawyer’s Am Law 200 as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015, and our goal is to provide exceptional client service by developing a thorough understanding of each client’s business needs and objectives in order to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions.

MEDIA CONTACT

Natalie Villanueva, Director of Marketing
954.333.4308 | [email protected]

This Greenspoon Marder LLP Client Alert is issued for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as general legal advice nor a solicitation of any type. Please contact the author(s) or your Greenspoon Marder LLP contact if you have any questions regarding the currency of this information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision. Before you decide, ask for written information about the lawyer’s legal qualifications and experience.

Previous Next

News

REAL ID Act

Share

News & Events

News & Events