When is the REAL ID deadline in 2025? What you need to know

If you haven't gotten your REAL ID, this is the year when your traditional driver's license will no longer work to get on domestic flights. 

After a series of postponements, the deadline to get a REAL ID has been set for May 7, 2025. That's when people will need the upgraded photo identification card, a passport, or other federally approved document to get on flights or to access secure federal facilities like federal courthouses, military bases, and nuclear power plants.

The backstory:

The new deadline will come about 20 years after the REAL ID Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by then-President George W. Bush. The law was established after the September 11th attacks, as part of an effort to make identification cards more secure and establish federal standards for identification documents.

Many states, including California, were initially granted extensions over concerns about implementation. 

"The federal REAL ID program has experienced several adjustments to its enforcement deadline," California Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson Chris Orrock told KTVU, noting it was extended in 2011, 2014, 2017, and then again in 2023.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acknowledged the multiple deadline changes could prompt many people to hold off on getting the REAL ID and lead to a delay in implementation or a down-to-the-wire scramble ahead of the deadline.

"Because of the history of extensions related to REAL ID enforcement, DHS believes that the public may continue to expect that additional extensions are likely and not feel urgency to obtain a REAL ID," a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson told KTVU in an email. 

"DHS believes this pattern is likely to delay increased adoption in many states despite best efforts to inform the public, potentially leading to last-minute surges in demand for REAL IDs leading up to the deadline," the agency added.

By the numbers:

Nationwide, about 56% of drivers' licenses or IDs in circulation are REAL ID-compliant, and in 34 states, fewer than 60% are compliant, according to the TSA. 

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In California, as of Jan. 1, more than 18.5 million Californians-- about 55% of all driver’s license and ID cardholders-- have obtained a REAL ID, according to the DMV.

The agency said in 2024, the state made steady progress in getting residents signed up, with more than 1.6 million Californians getting upgraded to a REAL ID.

In California, a REAL ID will have a grizzly bear on it with a star.

Starting May 7, 2025, Californians must have a REAL ID or another federally approved document to board domestic flights and access secure federal facilities.

How to Apply:

To apply for a REAL ID, Californians can begin by going to the DMV's REAL ID site to fill out the online application and upload the required documents. 

Starting the application online will help speed up the process, allowing for it to take only about 15 minutes to complete at the DMV, according to the agency. 

Applicants must still then go into a DMV office and present their uploaded documents. 

In addition to starting the application online, the DMV advised making an appointment or checking wait times at your local office to help expedite the process.    

The agency also suggested making a checklist of the required documents. 

Applicants will need: 

  • Proof of identity: This document must include your date of birth and your full name (first, middle, and last). It can be an original or certified document like a valid passport or birth certificate.

It should be noted that a legal name change documentation is required if the name on your proof of identity is different from the name on the other documents. (For example: marriage certificate, adoption papers.)

  • Two different printed documents to prove California residency: Both documents must show your first and last name with the same mailing address that is listed on your REAL ID application.

Examples of those documents include a utility bill, insurance papers, bank statements, a mortgage, or rental agreement with the signature of the owner/landlord and the tenant.  

Documents must be original or certified copies and unexpired, unless otherwise noted. The paperwork will be returned once processed by a DMV clerk.  

  • Social Security number (exceptions may apply).

DMV officials noted that Californians who already hold a federally approved identification document, such as a passport or a military ID, can wait to upgrade to a REAL ID when their driver’s license is due for renewal.

Visit the DMV's REAL ID site for a complete list of acceptable documents and a link to the online application.

CaliforniaTravelNews