Time is running out to get your real ID. What travelers need to know

ATLANTA — Your travel plans could hit some turbulence if you don’t have the Real ID. An important deadline is approaching.

You will need the Real ID if you want to get through security and get on an airplane to fly somewhere in the United States starting next spring.

The Real ID is a driver’s license with a star in the upper right corner. You can get yours at the Georgia Department of Driver’s Service Centers.

Congress passed the Real ID law in 2005 at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.

“So with the Real ID Act, what they’re trying to do is make it so that people aren’t just using fraudulent IDs any time they’re traveling, especially by plane,” Transportation Security Administration spokesman Dan Velez said.

The deadline is May 7, 2025. This time the government means it.

“It’s not going to be delayed again,” Valez said.

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To get your real ID, you will need a stack of documents: a passport or birth certificate to confirm lawful presence and proof of a Social Security number with a non-laminated Social Security card or something that shows your number.

Then to prove your residency, you will need two of the following: your current license, a tax bill or utility bill, mortgage lease and/or an insurance policy that shows your address.

“It’s a call to action now. Prepare now. If you have a license or ID renewal, that’s coming up, convert to the real ID at this point,” Valez said.

The deadline once again is May 7, 2025. The TSA is considering a phased-in approach, but there is no official plan yet.

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