What is REAL ID? Time is running out before we need one to fly. What you need to get one

Planning your spring and summer holidays? You may want to prepare your documents. In six months, Deadline for REAL IDs It will crash and you won’t be able to board the plane without crashing.

As of May 7, 2025, every passenger over the age of 18 must present a document. REAL ID compatible driver’s license or ID card (or valid passport or passport card) Boarding a commercial airliner in the United States. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to pass through the TSA checkpoint.

The good news is that you probably already have one. If you’ve received a new or renewed Florida driver’s license or ID since January 2010, you’re all set.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is REAL ID?

It was easier to get a driver’s license in some states than in others. Congress passed this law after the 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government establish standards for identification, such as driver’s licenses. Real ID Act In 2005. Minimum safety standards to obtain a license anywhere across the country and prohibited some federal agencies from accepting anything less.

The Real ID Act went into effect nationwide on May 11, 2008. Florida began issuing REAL ID-compliant credentials after January 4, 2010.

REAL ID-compliant credentials are already required to enter checkpoints at federal facilities. military facilities and nuclear power plants.

How do I know if I have REAL ID in Florida?

Check your driver’s license or government-issued ID. If there is a gold star in the upper right, it is REAL ID compatible.

How can I get a REAL ID in Florida?

If you do not currently have a REAL ID card, or your current ID is not compatible with REAL ID and you are not eligible to renew before May 7, 2025, or your name has changed since you last received a card, you must make an appointment at a local driver’s license service center or tax collector’s office to obtain a new card. It will be necessary. Locations can be found Here.

The Class E license is renewable up to 18 months prior to the card’s expiration date.

How much does a REAL ID card cost in Florida?

initial Florida Class E license fee (including learner permit) is $48 and a commercial driver’s license (Class A) license is $75. ID Card fee is 25 TL. Most local tax collector offices also charge a $6.25 service fee.

What do I need to get a REAL ID card in Florida?

You will need to bring original copies of primary documents with you to prove your identity, legal residence, Social Security status, and date of birth. you can find The list of accepted documents is here.

NOTE: Birth certificates must be issued by a county health department or the CDC Bureau of Vital Statistics. Hospital birth certificates are not considered certified documents and are not accepted.

There are different document lists for . immigrants, non-immigrantsAnd canadians Requesting a REAL ID card.

How many Floridians already have REAL ID?

As of December 2023, the Florida REAL ID compliance rate was “over 98%,” according to FDHSMV Communications Director Molly Best.

When will REAL ID come into force?

The Department of Homeland Security began enforcing REAL ID requirements in semi-restricted areas at federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and military installations as of October 2015.

As of May 7, 2025, a REAL ID-compliant ID or a valid passport or passport card will be required for any adult resident of the United States to board a federally regulated commercial aircraft. Originally, the deadline was May 3, 2023, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was May 3, 2023. extended by two years.

Will Florida change driver’s license numbers in 2024?

For many years, the 13 numbers on your driver’s license have encoded your personal information such as your name, year of birth and gender. However, a concern has been raised that if someone else extracts your DL number based on your personal information, this could lead to identity theft.

A. new law Under legislation passed by the Florida Legislature this year to improve security and prevent fraud, all distinctive numbers assigned to a driver’s license or identification card must contain at least four randomly generated numbers. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

It came into force on July 31.

Credit: Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY

This article first appeared in The Daytona Beach News-Journal: There are 6 months left until the REAL ID deadline. Things to know in Florida