Without A Real Id, You Could Face Delays Or Be Barred From Your Flight After May 7

REAL IDs are coming soon, here is what you need to know

A regulation 20 years in the making will go into effect May 7 as adult travelers will need a REAL ID to travel domestically.

• Starting May 7, 2023, air travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, passport, or other acceptable identification for domestic flights.
• Travelers without a REAL ID may undergo an alternative identity verification process, but this doesn't guarantee access to the security checkpoint.
• The TSA may deny access to those who refuse to provide acceptable identification or cooperate with the verification process.

The REAL ID deadline is May 7, and starting then, it's going to be harder to travel if you don't have the right documents at the airport.

REAL ID is a new standard for state-issued identification documents that includes more stringent requirements for verifying a person's identity and right to residency. Federal identification documents, like passports, are also compliant.

However, even for a domestic flight, if you show up at the airport without a REAL ID driver's license, a passport, or another acceptable document to present at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, you could face delays or even be prohibited from traveling.

According to the TSA, there is an alternative compliance mechanism if you show up at the airport without a REAL ID.

"The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process, which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity," the agency's website says. "If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening."

But, the TSA warns, the alternative compliance process does not guarantee your ability to travel, even if you have TSA PreCheck.

"Passengers who do not yet have their REAL ID or another TSA acceptable form of ID can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being allowed into the security checkpoint," the website says. "You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose to not provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process, or your identity cannot be confirmed."

According to a TSA spokesperson, this alternative compliance mechanism will be available indefinitely and mirrors the agency's existing procedures for screening passengers who arrive at the airport without proper identification.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.