After years of delays and deadline extensions, the REAL ID requirement officially takes effect today, May 7.
Travelers flying within the United States will now need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or an approved Transportation Security Administration-approved alternative - like a passport - to pass through airport security. Confused about what counts? Wondering what happens if you don't have one? You're not alone.
USA TODAY reporters are live at airports around the country, talking to travelers and answering your REAL ID questions. Whether you're flying soon or still unsure if you're ready, follow along for the latest updates, expert advice and firsthand experiences.
A line stretched up the stairs outside the entrance to the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower in downtown Nashville.
People stood outside the Driver Services Center on the misty 65-degree day, chatting with others in line and scrolling on their phones. At least two people sat down on the steps. The line moved slowly but steadily, with people appearing to exit the building every 10 minutes or so and others inching toward the door in their place.
The average wait time was nearly an hour and a half as of 11:30 a.m. local time, according to the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security's website.
"It's been very smooth," Alexis Pickeral, TSA Lead Transportation Security Officer, said at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. "We haven't had any operational hiccups or any delays of excessive wait times for both REAL ID compliant passengers and non-compliant REAL ID passengers." She said some travelers have been unsure if their IDs meet the new requirements. "We are definitely stressing to check your ID to make sure it is compliant before you get to the airport," she said. "Our public is mostly prepared. We have an 81% compliance rate." That's the national rate. She notes it's much higher at Atlanta's airport because Georgia began issuing REAL IDs in 2012, so most IDs are already compliant.
Mackenzie Painter had a similar situation over at the Nashville International Airport. The 24-year-old got her REAL ID in 2021.
She was starting her vacation in Nashville after smooth travels from Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday.
"I used it (this morning) with no issue, and now I'm here," she said near mostly empty carousels in the baggage claim area.
Wednesday is a relatively low passenger-volume day, but TSA Regional Spokesperson Mark J. Howell warned traffic would pick up heading into holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. "Here in Nashville, specifically, with CMA Fest and Bonnaroo, you're going to have a lot of people coming from everywhere," he said. "So if you haven't gotten (a REAL ID), now is the time to do it if you plan to travel later, because the volume from here is only going to go up."
Several passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta who were killing time in the atrium near the main domestic security checkpoint said they had all their documentation in order and arrived extra early for their flights. It turns out they didn't need the extra time.
Operations were running smoothly at Indianapolis International Airport Wednesday morning, where by 9 a.m. local time, a TSA employee said a couple of dozen people had gone through security without displaying a REAL ID. Passengers without a REAL ID or passport were pulled aside and then underwent the same additional screening that TSA uses regularly on a randomized basis. These travelers were then allowed to pass to their gate if they passed.
Indianapolis TSA employees had practiced extra security measures for a few days before May 7, one said. All passengers IndyStar spoke to said they had REAL IDs for years, but some still had concerns about the first day of implementation. "I for sure was afraid of long lines, but it doesn't look bad," said Zack Moore, 42, of Indianapolis, standing outside security before boarding a plane bound for San Diego. "But this airport is just so great."
- Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network
In Denver, Arizona native Justin Conrad, 28, tried unsuccessfully to make a same-day appointment to get a new REAL ID-compliant license at a state licensing office.
Conrad is supposed to attend a memorial service for a college mentor in a few days, and realized he should have an updated license to fly.
"What if I'm stuck in this state forever?" he joked.
Conrad said he works for a Colorado ski resort and didn't make time to get an updated license during the winter. His passport is expired, he said.
He said he drove a friend 80 miles in his Subaru from their mountain ski town down to Denver International Airport first thing on May 7 and decided to try getting a license while he was in the city.
Colorado has required appointments to get a driver's license for many years, and staff at the office on May 7 adhered to that policy, telling Conrad there were appointments available in about a month.
"Yeah, I guess it's not going to happen today for me," Conrad said.
Conrad said he was considering his options: get an on-the-spot passport in Denver, drive to Tucson or throw himself at the mercy of TSA agents for his May 8 flight.
"I mean, I have an Arizona license, but it doesn't have that star," he said. "Maybe they will let me fly if they see I'm going home."
According to the Transportation Security Administration, these are the acceptable forms of REAL ID:
Joe Depace, 71, arrived at JFK from Fort Lauderdale on JetBlue flight 302 and said he was ready for REAL ID day without even knowing it.
"When I realized it was going to start, I looked at my license and it already had a star on it," he told USA TODAY. "I didn't even know they were doing that."
Depace added that he was prepared for disruptions at security when leaving Florida, but he said he had a smooth trip.
"I thought we'd better get to the airport early in case there are problems with other people who don't (have a REAL ID), but everything seemed to be going smoothly," he said.
Jacqueline Perkins, 60, flew to Atlanta from Baltimore. She doesn't have a REAL ID yet. "I used my passport ... I knew that that was going to be accepted," she said. "It was wonderful. There was no hassle, and they just let us on through." She encouraged fellow travelers not to worry about their REAL ID if they have their passport or other identification.
Jim Curry, 60, flew to Atlanta from JFK and said he had no problems going through security there. "Everything was on time," he said. Curry knew about the new requirement well before his flight. "For at least the last two months, they've been talking about REAL ID. I was lucky, I had it a few months ago."
You can tell if your state-issued ID is compliant because it will have a gold or black star, or a gold or black circle with a star cutout typically in the upper righthand corner. A few states use the shape of the state, and California uses a bear shape, all with a star cutout, as their designator. Check with your state for enhanced driver's license designators.
Things seemed to be going smoothly at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York around 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Although it can be difficult for non-ticketed passengers to get near the Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in some terminals, the departure areas in Terminal 4, home to Delta Air Lines and Terminal 8, where American Airlines is based, were fairly quiet.
At Terminal 5, which is JetBlue's biggest base, the security line is more visible, but seemed to be moving smoothly. Two JetBlue employees who verify IDs before passengers can enter the security checkpoint said nearly all the passengers planning to travel today have had REAL ID-compliant documents. There is a separate ID verification line for travelers who do not have a REAL ID in Terminal 5.
Surprisingly, there was little signage around the airport, which may have been an indicator that the pre-deadline media blitz had been effective in raising awareness about REAL ID in the state.
Similarly, down in Atlanta, security screening is going smoothly at the world's busiest airport.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and TSA have been working in concert with the airlines so passengers can be flagged at check-in or security. The vast majority of passengers departing from the main domestic terminal have REAL