DHS Extends Real ID Requirement to Fly Domestically

If you still haven’t braved the DMV to get your Real ID, you now have some reprieve with The Department of Homeland Security announcing today that the deadline will be extended. This time to May of 2025. The DHS is saying backlogged DMV offices due to the COVID pandemic have impacted the ability of states to meet the security standards established by the REAL ID Act enacted two decades ago. This latest extension follows many others, including 2008, 2021, and May 2023 deadlines. Once reached, if you plan to fly within the U.S., you will need either a REAL ID or a valid U.S. passport.