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What you need to know to obtain a Real ID
Renewing your licenses or receiving a new “Real ID” may be perplexing. Here’s a summary of several key points you should understand.
USA TODAY
The cutoff date for obtaining your Real ID is nearing.
The federal Real ID Act will be implemented for residents of Arizona on May 7, 2025. At that point, individuals are required to possess identification that meets the act’s standards to pass through TSA checkpoints or enter federal facilities.
Post this date, a conventional driver’s license or ID card will not suffice at TSA. You will be required to have the enhanced driver’s license recognized as the Arizona Travel ID. (If you lack this, certain forms of ID like U.S. passport books and cards are compliant with Real ID.)
Here’s what Arizona residents must understand concerning the upcoming Real ID deadline, including the documentation necessary to obtain a Real ID in Arizona.
When is Real ID necessary for air travel?
A Real ID will be necessary for domestic flights beginning on May 7, 2025.
Which states offer Real ID?
Every one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories provide Real ID-compliant identification. Delaware, Indiana and South Dakota were the initial states to issue Real ID-compliant licenses, starting in 2010.
Arizona released its initial Real ID, the Arizona Travel ID, in 2016. As of October 1, over 2.3 million were in circulation, according to William Lamoreaux from the Arizona Department of Transportation.
What percentage of Americans possess a Real ID?
They anticipate approximately 61% to 66% of all IDs in circulation across the country will be compliant with Real ID when enforcement is scheduled to commence next May. Nearly 86% of U.S. residents hold driver’s licenses, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security.
How many Real IDs are active in Arizona?
The 2.3 million Arizona Travel IDs in current circulation account for less than one-third of the almost 7.6 million driver’s licenses in Arizona, as mentioned by Lamoreaux.
About 1.5 million of the 5.3 million active standard driver’s licenses were issued before the introduction of Arizona Travel ID, he noted.
The initial enrollment for Arizona Travel ID was modest, but since 2018, at least 100,000 individuals have enrolled each year, Lamoreaux reported. Data indicated that ADOT issued the highest number of new Arizona Travel IDs in 2019, a year prior to the anticipated Real ID enforcement deadline, though it was ultimately postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below is the count of Arizona Travel IDs issued by ADOT annually since their inception:
- 2016: approximately 1,000-2,000.
- 2017: 31,138.
- 2018: 129,626.
- 2019: 528,150.
- 2020: 501,679.
- 2021: 490,197.
- 2022: 423,342.
- 2023: 361,788.
- 2024 (up to October 1): 308,008.
Will Real ID enforcement take place?
The federal government has postponed Real ID enforcement multiple times previously, most recently moving a May 2023 deadline to May 2025.
TSA is evaluating a proposed regulation that would enable a phased implementation of Real ID rules, providing states with up to two years of flexibility to achieve full compliance. Staff is currently reviewing nearly 32,000 public comments received on the proposed regulation.
What was the motivation behind the creation of Real ID?
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the 9/11 Commission that looked into the incidents suggested in its final report that the federal government establish standards for secure identification, including driver’s licenses, to avert fraud that could be utilized by terrorists.
Consequently, Congress enacted the Real ID Act in 2005, which established new criteria for issuing
driver’s licenses that would serve as valid forms of identification to pass through airport security or access federal facilities.
What do I require to obtain a REAL ID in Arizona?
To acquire an Arizona Travel ID, ADOT necessitates one primary document as evidence of birth, two documents confirming residence and a Social Security number.
Acceptable documents for evidence of birth include:
- Certified birth certificate.
- U.S. certificate of birth abroad.
- U.S. passport or passport card.
- Permanent resident card or resident alien card.
- Unexpired USCIS employment authorization document.
- I-94 form paired with an unexpired foreign passport and valid U.S. visa.
- U.S. certificate of naturalization.
- U.S. certificate of citizenship.
Acceptable documentation for proof of address must be issued by a business, organization, or government entity and should include your name along with your residential address. Documents must be printed. These may include:
- Utility bills.
- Credit card or bank statements.
- Insurance certificates.
What does the gold star on my driver’s license signify?
The gold star located at the upper right corner of an Arizona Travel ID signifies its compliance with Real ID regulations. IDs issued since 2023 feature a black star.
When the TSA starts mandating Real ID for airport security, your ID must display that gold or black star in the corner to be permitted entry.
Do minors require a Real ID?
Minors under 18 do not need a Real ID to fly domestically within the U.S., provided they are accompanied by an adult who possesses a Real ID, Lamoreaux stated.
What is the cost of an Arizona ID?
A Real ID-compliant Arizona Travel ID is priced at $25.
For further details and to book an appointment to obtain an Arizona Travel ID, visit azmvdnow.gov.
What if I don’t possess a Real ID?
If you don’t upgrade from a standard driver’s license to the Arizona Travel ID, you will not be able to pass through TSA checkpoints at airports without another acceptable form of identification. The following documents are compliant with Real ID requirements, as per the Transportation Security Administration:
- U.S. passport.
- U.S. passport card.
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST).
- ID from the U.S. Department of Defense, including those issued to dependents.
- Permanent resident card.
- Border crossing card.
- Enhanced driver’s license issued by the state.
- Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized tribal nation/Indian tribe.
- HSPD-12 PIV card.
- Foreign government-issued passport.
- Provincial driver’s license from Canada or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card.
- Transportation worker identification credential.
- Employment Authorization Card (I-766) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- Credential for U.S. Merchant Mariners.
- Veteran Health Identification Card.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who has covered travel and tourism since 2014. His role as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel correspondent aims to assist readers in managing the pressures of travel and securing the best value for their expenses on vacation. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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