REAL ID law becomes a reality from today. TSA will enforce acceptable forms of ID starting today (May 7) which include passports, military ID, and DHS trusted traveller cards. State-issued IDs that are not compliant with the REAL ID regulation will not be accepted across TSA checkpoints. However the regulation is expanding to encompass driver licence standards as mDL adoption sees significant growth across proactive U.S. states and residents proudly store their mobile ID in wallets.
As the U.S. does not possess a national ID, more pressure is piled on individual states to ensure the fabric and foundational structure of ID licenses and documentation – from the physical card to its security features – has credibility, converging with interoperable standards.
The Department of Homeland Security has been encouraging readiness for a new set of unified travel rules for federal agencies. Travellers were urged to check if their ID is valid with their local state department of motor vehicles – exempting children under 18 who do not need REAL ID to travel in domestic U.S. Without a REAL ID,
81% of passengers already use their REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID and states like Georgia have achieved 99% compliance.
TSA said they are “enforcing REAL ID in a manner that minimises the impact to operations”. “We’re prepared, and we’re here to help you prepare as well”.
