Airline Passengers Using a License for Identification Must Have the New ID to Fly Starting Oct. 1, 2020

The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (RDU) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are reminding air travelers that enforcement of the REAL ID requirement is less than a year away. Beginning Oct. 1, 2020, airline passengers will need a REAL ID-compliant form of identification to board commercial flights. Passengers at every airport in the U.S., including RDU, will be turned away at the security checkpoint if they do not have a REAL ID license or other acceptable form of federal identification such as a U.S. passport or military ID.

“October 1st will be here before you know it,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “No one wants to be the person who misses their flight because they show up at the airport without the right identification.”

The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies such as TSA from accepting licenses and IDs that do not meet the new standards.

“Secure driver licenses and identification documents are a vital component of our national security framework,” said Beth Walker, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Raleigh-Durham and eastern North Carolina.

The N.C. REAL ID is identified by a star in the upper right-hand corner. It will be required for boarding commercial airlines and entering federal buildings, but not for driving. You can learn more about REAL ID and the documentation required for getting one at www.NCREALID.com.