REAL ID deadline is May 7: What to expect if you’re flying without one
Starting Wednesday, only state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the security requirements established by the 2005 REAL ID Act will be allowed for official purposes, including boarding commercial aircraft, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently told news12 New Jersey that travelers can still board the plane without one for the time being, as long as they’re prepared to face extra security steps.
Tara Corse, TSA federal security director for Alabama, previously said any passengers who don’t have their STAR ID might need to expect delays for additional screening and identity verification.
STAR – which stands for Secure, Trusted, Reliable – is part of the Real ID Act, which modifies federal laws dealing with security, authentication and issuance procedure standards for state driver licenses and identification cards.
Alabama STAR IDs will look like traditional driver licenses except with a gold star in the upper left corners.
Screeners will first ask travelers for a passport or other forms of identification, Corse told AL.com’s John Roby.
A Department of Defense ID along with another government-issued ID would likely be accepted, she said. The requirement also does not apply to children under 18.
Those without a passport or valid secondary ID will undergo enhanced screening, Corse said. That applies as well to travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck.
“Enhanced screening is much more involved: Swabbing individuals, secondary pat-downs – if you have TSA PreCheck, you will not be going through PreCheck, you’re going to be going through standard line screening along with additional actions on top of that,” Corse said.
Finally, travelers who do not pass additional screening, “will be flatly denied” and routed back to the airline for rebooking, she said.
Residents can apply for STAR IDs at ALEA Driver License examining offices. You can see a list of those here.
Applicants must present four documents to verify identity/date of birth, Social Security number and address of principal residence.
Among the accepted documents are a valid, unexpired U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate or a certificate of naturalization.
Other documents will be needed to verify Social Security number and address. You can see a complete list of accepted documents here.