If the recent appointment of the new American pope from Chicago has you dreaming of authentic hot dogs and a tour or Wrigley Field, be sure and have the right ID on your before you head to the airport.
The REAL ID Act mandates that states implement enhanced security measures for driver’s licenses and identification cards, and it prohibits federal agencies from accepting those that don’t meet these standards for specific purposes like accessing federal facilities and boarding domestic flights. The deadline for full compliance and enforcement is May 7, 2025.
You might be surprised to learn that this Act isn’t actually new. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards.”
The Act and implementing regulations establish minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibit federal agencies from accepting for certain official purposes noncompliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, both physical and digital (also known as Mobile Driver’s Licenses, or “mDLs”).
