Domestic air travel will require REAL ID starting May 7

OLYMPIA — Starting May 7, 2025, Americans will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification to board domestic flights. This requirement also applies to accessing certain federal facilities.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005, and states must create IDs requiring applicants to prove their identity and legal U.S. residency and have certain counterfeit-resistant features.

The Washington REAL ID is the Enhanced ID or Enhanced Driver’s License. It is not mandatory to change to either; other forms of ID comply with the REAL ID Act, including U.S. Military ID, a Permanent Resident Card, and U.S. passports and passport cards.

If you are 18 and older and plan to travel domestically by air this summer, you will want to be sure the T.S.A. will accept your ID to avoid delays.

Washington residents can apply for an EDL by providing an approved document for residency, including a U.S. passport, passport card, U.S. birth, citizenship, or naturalization certificate. Identity documents include a valid driver’s license, government employee, or military ID.

Proof of address requires two documents from a long list of approved documents, including a driver’s license, utility bills, bank statements, vehicle registration, and a Washington Voter card.

For more information about Washington’s REAL ID requirements, visit https://realidwa.com.