Travelers planning a domestic flight this week should be prepared as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is no longer accepting state-issued identification that are not Real ID compliant at security checkpoints.
On Wednesday, all airline passengers 18-years-old and older, including TSA PreCheck and Clear members, must have a Real ID or additional acceptable identification to travel within the United States, according to TSA.
Why are airlines requiring Real ID?
In 2005, following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, Congress passed the Real ID Act, which established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s website.
“Basically, we want to know, you are who you say you are. We want to know who’s boarding the flights,” Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman told TribLive.
How do you get a Real ID?
To apply for a Real ID travelers can visit the PennDOT website to check their Real ID status and determine if they are pre-verified online.
Individuals who received their first Pennsylvania driver’s license after Sept. 3, 2003, may already have the proper documents required for Real ID on file and can complete the pre-verification information and order their Real IDs online, said Aimee Inama, press officer for PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services.
Travelers who are not pre-verified have two options:
Using PennDOT’s website, non verified flyers can either locate their closest Real ID Center to receive their Real ID same-day or visit a local Driver License Center to receive their Real ID in the mail.
Visiting a Real ID Center is the fastest way to get a REAL ID, because traveler’s required documentation will be verified in real-time and approved the same day, according to PennDOT’s website.
What documentation is needed?
To apply for a Real ID, individuals will need to provide: one document proving identity and lawful status, one document proving their Social Security number and two documents proving Pennsylvania residency.
Some applicants such as non-U.S. citizens, commercial driver’s license holders, and those updating their name or date of birth, will need to provide additional documents which are listed on PennDOT’s website.
What if you don’t have a Real ID?
Pennsylvania is an optional state, which means residents are not required to get a Real ID. However, when traveling domestically without a Real ID, individuals will need additional identification, Inama said.
If a traveler’s driver’s license is not Real ID-compliant, they will need another form of approved identification, such as a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, permanent resident card or a border crossing card. Individuals can check TSA’s website for a complete list of alternative identification.
Additional screening
Individuals who do not have a Real ID or approved alternative identification at TSA security checkpoints will be directed to additional screening when flying both in and out of Pennsylvania, Farbstein said.
“Per longstanding TSA policy, passengers traveling without an acceptable form of ID may face significant wait times at airports or could be denied access through the airport checkpoint,” said Gerardo Spero TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania and Delaware in a news release.
There has not been a deadline released as to when the additional screening option will be removed, Farbstein said.