Check If Your ID Is Accepted for Air Travel

REAL ID-compliant cards are marked with a star in the upper portion of the card. This star is the primary indicator of compliance. Some states use a gold star, black star, or star cutout design.

Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) from Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont are also accepted even if they don't have a star marking. These are considered acceptable alternatives to REAL ID.

If your license doesn't have a star and isn't an EDL, contact your state's DMV to upgrade to a REAL ID-compliant version.

TSA currently accepts expired IDs up to 2 years after expiration for acceptable forms of identification. However, this only applies to REAL ID-compliant or other acceptable IDs.

Important: Expired non-REAL ID compliant state licenses are not accepted regardless of when they expired. You would need to use an alternative form of ID like a passport.

It's strongly recommended to travel with a valid, non-expired ID to avoid potential complications.

Yes! Mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) are now accepted at over 250 airports through digital wallet platforms like Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet.

Currently supported states (15): Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Important notes:

• TSA strongly recommends carrying your physical ID as backup
• Simply showing a photo of your ID on your phone is NOT acceptable
• Digital IDs are more secure and share only necessary information
• Visit tsa.gov/digital-id for the most current list of participating airports

You may still be allowed to fly, but it's not guaranteed. Here's what to expect:

• Arrive at least 3 hours early - The verification process takes extra time
• Identity verification - TSA will ask for your name, current address, and other information to verify your identity using public databases
• Additional screening - You'll undergo extra security screening including pat-down and bag search
• Bring supporting items - Credit cards, mail, prescriptions with your name can help (but are not accepted as primary ID)

Starting February 1, 2026: The new TSA Confirm.ID program allows you to pay $45 for a 10-day travel period using biometric/biographic verification.

Warning: If TSA cannot verify your identity, you will NOT be allowed to fly.

No! A valid U.S. passport or passport card is an acceptable alternative to a REAL ID-compliant driver's license. You can use either for domestic air travel.

Many travelers who fly infrequently choose to use their passport instead of upgrading to a REAL ID. A passport card ($65) is a more affordable alternative to a full passport book and is valid for domestic flights.

Other alternatives to REAL ID include: military IDs, Global Entry cards, permanent resident cards, and other DHS trusted traveler cards.

No. Temporary paper driver's licenses or interim IDs issued by states are NOT accepted by TSA as a standalone form of identification.

If you only have a temporary license:

• Bring an alternative acceptable ID (passport, military ID, etc.)
• You may need to go through the identity verification process
• Arrive at least 3 hours early to allow time for verification
• Consider delaying travel until your permanent ID arrives

TSA recommends that your ticket name matches your ID name. However, minor differences are usually acceptable:

• Middle name vs. middle initial
• Name order differences (first/last)
• Hyphenation variations
• Jr., Sr., III suffixes

For significant differences (e.g., recent name change due to marriage/divorce):

• Bring documentation of the name change (marriage certificate, court order)
• Contact your airline to update your reservation if possible
• Arrive early in case additional verification is needed

Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) are special driver's licenses that can be used for:

• Domestic air travel (like REAL ID)
• Land and sea border crossings to/from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean

Only 5 states issue EDLs: Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont.

EDLs are accepted by TSA even if they don't have the REAL ID star marking. They contain RFID technology and additional security features. If your state offers EDLs, they're a great option that provides more functionality than a standard REAL ID.