The U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Thursday proposed a rule that would hold off full enforcement of the Real ID deadline until 2027.
The U.S. Real ID program is scheduled to begin May 7, 2025, after years of delays. (The original act was passed by Congress in 2005.) On that date, driver's licenses and identifications that are not Real ID-compliant will not be accepted by federal agencies, including TSA at airport security checkpoints.
TSA's proposed rulemaking, though, instead would permit agencies "flexibility" in implementing the Real ID regulations before full enforcement on May 5, 2027.
Does this mean a passenger will be turned away on May 7 if they do not have a Real ID? Possibly.
If approved, the rule would allow TSA to consider a phased enforcement approach to Real ID implementation, although it's uncertain whether the agency would itself push back full enforcement. Travelers without a valid Real ID or another form of acceptable ID after the May 7 deadline could face delays at airport security checkpoints, so it's still safest to have a Real ID prior to the deadline.
"TSA is engaging with the public, licensing jurisdictions and states to facilitate a smooth transition to Real ID enforcement beginning May 7, 2025," TSA administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. "Real ID provides an important security enhancement, and this rule allows us to plan for a range of scenarios to help minimize the potential impact to travelers, industry stakeholders and states during implementation."
In December 2022, the Department of Homeland Security pushed back Real ID implementation from May 2023 to May 2025.
Source: Business Travel News