ORLANDO, Fla. —Starting Wednesday, U.S. travelers will be required to use a state-issued ID or driver’s license that is REAL ID compliant to travel domestically.

What You Need To Know

  • TSA bringing back 24-year-old identification requirement, known as REAL ID, for all U.S domestic travelers to ramp up air travel safety

  • To board a domestic flight, travelers will need to have a state-issued ID or driver’s license that is REAL ID compliant

  • A Florida driver’s license is REAL ID compliant if it has a gold star on the upper right-hand corner of the license

  • Licenses without the gold star can still travel domestically by using a passport, or other form of accepted ID on the TSA website

  • Those without a REAL ID will need to obtain one at their local DMV or tax collector’s office

  • RELATED coverage: How to check if your Florida driver’s license is REAL ID compliant

Travelers can find out if they’re compliant by looking for a gold star on the upper right-hand corner of their state-issued ID.

If their driver’s license has a gold star on it, that means they are REAL ID ready.

But for those who don’t have a compliant ID come Wednesday, May 7, they can still travel domestically by using their U.S. passport.

Those without a compliant state-issued ID or passport must be prepared to face some delays.

TSA Regional spokesman for the Southeast region Mark Howell says those individuals will have to go through a separate security screening where they will complete an additional identity verification check.

Howell is recommending those without a REAL ID to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time to avoid any interruptions.

Howell says that the Wednesday date is not a deadline, but rather an enforcement date for travelers to be REAL ID ready.

“This is something that we’ve been working on for more than two decades-trying to raise that baseline of security features on an identification. Providing that information to your state driver’s licensing agency lets us know that you live at the address you live at, that you are who you are and that’s really a good thing when we’re talking about aviation security,” says Howell.

The REAL ID deadline is Wednesday. It means it will be mandatory for domestic air travelers to have a REAL ID, Enhanced ID or other accepted documents beginning on May 7. (Spectrum News 1)

He adds that there is still time to get this taken care by going to a tax collector’s office or the Florida DMV.

To get a REAL ID, you must go to a Florida DMV office with the following items:

  • A government-issued proof of your name and date of birth, like a birth certificate, passport or other government issued identification.

  • Your social security card and two documents that show proof of your primary Florida address, like a utility bill or W-2 tax form (a current license that’s not a REAL ID can’t be used as a proof of residence).

According to the Florida DMV website, the REAL ID costs $48 plus a processing fee.

TSA states it does not expect any operational issues as a result of this enforcement, but they warn those who aren’t REAL ID ready to expect some delays.

MCO states they will have extra people stationed at various security checkpoints to assist travelers who may have any questions.