Can I fly in the US without REAL ID?

On May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. Find out if you're REAL ID ready with our interactive tool!



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Beginning May 3, 2023, all air travelers aged 18 and up will be required to have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, a state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another acceptable form of identification to fly within the U.S. States.

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Documents for travel to/from Hawaii and within the Hawaiian Islands are the same for any other U.S. state. If you are flying to Hawai'i within the United States, you only need a valid government photo ID. A list of accepted forms of ID can be found on the TSA website.

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Beginning May 3, 2023, your driver's license will need to be REAL ID-compliant if you want to use it to fly within the U.S. It's part of a law passed by Congress.

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Acceptable ID for domestic US travel
  • US passport.
  • US passport card.
  • Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Trusted Traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
  • US Military ID (active duty or retired military and their dependents, and Department of Defense civilians)
  • Permanent Resident Card.
  • Border crossing card.


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In the United States, you need a valid U.S. government-issued photo ID or a passport from your country of origin to travel through security. You must show that the name on your boarding pass matches the legal name on your unexpired government-issued ID.

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However, if a passenger does not possess a Real ID, there are other forms of identity that will be accepted. This list includes US passports and permanent residence cards. Undocumented immigrants may therefore be able to fly domestically as long as they hold an approved form of identification on this list.

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Yes, as noted above, the list of approved identification to fly domestically includes foreign government-issued passports and/or a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766).

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If you don't have any acceptable alternate form of ID, a TSA employee will ask you to complete an identity verification process by filling out a TSA Form 415, also known as a Certification of Identity form. It asks for your full name, current address, signature and date.

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If your ID card is expired, damaged, or in the paper form, you can still get through airport security but it depends on when your ID expired and what other supporting documents you have to verify your ID in the latter two cases.

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Identification
  • Driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) ...
  • U.S. passport.
  • U.S. passport card.
  • DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
  • U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents.
  • Permanent resident card.


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In-person at a staffed check-in counter at airport
  1. Passport (when traveling internationally)
  2. Flight information. Paper ticket (less and less common), OR. E-ticket with a confirmation number—usually sent via email if ticket is purchased online or through a travel agency, OR. Printed itinerary with a confirmation number.


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No, a REAL ID isn't required to fly within the United States. However, starting on May 7, 2025, you will need a REAL ID or another TSA-approved form of identification to fly within the U.S. Be sure to check out our graphic above for other documents that will be accepted at airport security if you don't have a REAL ID.

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Beginning May 7, 2025, you will need a state-issued REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, or another acceptable form of ID (such as a passport), to fly within the United States.

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If you only have an expired passport, you can still bring it along for domestic travel within the United States, but you must convince TSA officers that you are who you say you are. However, if you're traveling internationally, you must have a valid passport.

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Wear clothing and shoes without metal, and be ready to remove your belt if it has a metal buckle. Tuck large metal jewelry pieces into your carry-on bag before you go through the security checkpoint. Put change and keys into your carry-on or empty your pockets into a plastic bin when you arrive at the checkpoint.

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