Don’t have a Real ID yet? That could cause you travel headaches

Real ID requirements are now in place after years of postponements and delays.

Starting May 7, your license or identification card will need to be Real ID-compliant to fly domestically in the U.S.

If you still need to get a Real ID, wonder why you even need one in the first place and are curious about what happens if you don’t have one, here are some things to know:

What is a Real ID?

It’s a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that the DHS says is a more secure form of identification. Besides needing a Real ID to fly domestically, you will also need one to access certain federal buildings and facilities.

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Why is this happening?

When the Real ID Act was signed into law in 2005, it enacted a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that the government set security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and IDs.

“Real ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver’s licenses and identification cards,” John Essig, the Transportation Security Administration’s Security Director for airports in the New York City region said in a press release on April 3. “The improvements are intended to inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.”

The Real ID Act was supposed to begin rolling out in 2008, “but has faced repeated delays due to state implementation challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nina Ruggiero, senior editorial director for Travel + Leisure. “The combination of varying state processes and shifting deadlines has added to the overall confusion around Real IDs and likely led some travelers to take the deadlines less seriously.”

How do I know if I already have a Real ID?

If you’ve gotten a new ID in the last few years, it could already be Real ID-compliant.

“I also hear from travelers who are confused as to whether or not they already have a Real ID,” Ruggiero said. “Some people who have recently renewed their license may already have a compliant ID and not know it,” so you may want to double-check yours before starting the process.

A Real ID-compliant driver’s license has a symbol ( in most states, a star ) in the top corner of the card.

If you live in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington, it’s possible you could have an “enhanced″ ID card instead, which permits you to cross land and sea borders into Mexico and Canada from the U.S. It does not, however, allow you to fly into either of those countries.

Enhanced IDs will have an American flag icon, as well as the word “enhanced” at the top of the card.

If I don’t have a Real ID, how do I get one?

The requirements vary by state, so you will need to visit the website of your state’s driver’s licensing agency to find out the specific steps, including whether you’ll need to make an appointment at a DMV and what documentation you’ll need when you get there.

There have been long lines at license bureaus in Minnesota in recent weeks. Amy Stenftenagel is with Washington County, in the eastern Twin Cities metro area. She said license bureau workers there have been extremely busy trying to keep up — but there are strategies to save time.

“Pre-apply online. You can also check the current wait time before you visit at our locations. That’s up on our website as well,” she said. “And maybe one little tip I would give, too, is Mondays and Fridays are our busiest days.”

If you don’t have a Real ID license yet in Minnesota, you’re not alone. According to state data, as of May 1 only about 42 percent of Minnesota residents had one. That was up from about 37.7 percent a year ago. The pace of people applying for one has picked up in recent weeks.

What happens on May 7? What if I don’t have a Real ID by then?

If you don’t have a Real ID by the deadline and you’re planning to board a domestic flight, you will need to bring your passport or another TSA-approved form of identification when you travel.

Otherwise, you could face “delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” warns TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.

The deadline has already been pushed back so many times. Could it be delayed again?

In mid-April, a group of state senators from Kentucky asked the agency to delay implementing the new requirements yet again. They said the state has limited appointments available to people seeking the new cards and that there has been a rush to meet the May 7 deadline.

However, TSA spokesperson Dan Velez told the AP that the agency does not intend to delay the Real ID deadline again.

As of late April, 81 percent of travelers at TSA checkpoints were presenting acceptable identification, including a state-issued Real ID, according to DHS.

MPR News contributed to this report.