This week, Florida travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.
The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as a driver’s license and an identification card. The Act and implementing regulations establish minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibit federal agencies from accepting for certain official purposes a noncompliant driver’s license or identification card.
Key Points:
The official purposes covered by the Act and regulation are: Accessing certain federal facilities; Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft; and entering nuclear power plants.
The Act’s prohibitions do not affect other uses of driver’s licenses or identification cards unrelated to official purposes as defined in the Act.
In accordance with the REAL ID Act, once a customer provides the required identity documents, they will only need to provide them again if their information changes (e.g., name, residential address). The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will only accept a driver’s license and ID card with a star in the upper right corner as proof of identification at airports. Individuals currently seeking access to military bases and most Federal facilities must present REAL ID-compliant identification. A United States passport may also be used in place of a REAL ID-compliant card for official identification.
If U.S citizens who haven’t become Real ID compliant, here is a list of what you can bring and show TSA officials when boarding an airline.
Valid, unexpired U.S. passport; Original or Certified copy of a birth certificate; NOTE: Only a birth certificate issued by a county health department or the CDC Bureau of Vital Statistics page will be accepted. Hospital birth certificates are not considered a certified document and will not be accepted.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad; Certificate of Naturalization issued by DHS; Certificate of Citizenship;
Many Real ID-required documents are issued by state governments, and not a federal agency.
Find more on REAL ID compliance below or from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at www.DHS.gov/REAL-ID .
