Real ID Update: DHS Sets Enforcement to Begin January 2018

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh C. Johnson announced Friday afternoon that enforcement of the Real ID Act at U.S. Airports will now be effective January 22, 2018. That gives non-compliant states, like Missouri and Illinois, another two years to meet stricter standards for identification, such as driver’s licenses.

Until then, air travelers can continue to use all official state IDs for boarding domestic commercial flights. Beyond the new deadline, those passengers carrying IDs that do not meet the requirements of the REAL ID Act must present an alternative form of identification acceptable to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

DHS also outlined a timetable for educating the traveling public beginning in 2016 with web-based advisories, handouts and airport signage.

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today applauded the announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of its plan to provide a reasonable time prior to initiating the enforcement of REAL ID requirements for passengers traveling on commercial aircraft.

“ACI-NA and its member U.S. airports applaud the decision by DHS to provide a reasonable timeframe prior to requiring passengers to present identification from a REAL ID compliant state in order to travel on commercial aircraft,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Through its decision to provide a two-year implementation timeframe, DHS clearly recognized the importance of minimizing the potential impact on the traveling public.  

ACI-NA and its member airports look forward to ongoing coordination with DHS and the Transportation Security Administration to advance initiatives to educate travelers and help to ensure a reasonable implementation of REAL ID requirements.”

Read official DHS Announcement and REAL Id Timeline.