To board a domestic flight in the US, every adult needs a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state ID, or another ID on TSA's accepted list, such as a US passport or a Global Entry card. TSA has enforced this since May 7, 2025, and an old-style license without the REAL ID star is no longer accepted at the checkpoint. If you arrive without acceptable ID, TSA ConfirmID, a paid identity check that began on February 1, 2026, may still get you through, but it takes time and is not guaranteed. Here is what to bring.
The short version
- Look for the star. A REAL ID license has a star marking in the upper part of the card. Some states use a flag or the word "Enhanced" instead.
- A passport works. So does a passport card, a Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card, and the other IDs on TSA's list.
- Children under 18 do not need ID for domestic flights under TSA rules, but check your airline's own policy.
- No acceptable ID? Adults can pay for TSA ConfirmID in advance. It covers 10 days of travel from the date you enter, it can add 30 minutes or more at the checkpoint, and TSA does not promise it will work.
- Flying abroad? REAL ID is never a substitute for a passport on an international trip.
When REAL ID enforcement started
REAL ID enforcement was delayed several times. It finally began at airport checkpoints on May 7, 2025. Since that date, a state driver's license or ID card that is not REAL ID-compliant is not accepted as identification at TSA screening. The rule applies to every commercial domestic flight, from a short regional hop to a cross-country trip.
How to tell if your license is REAL ID
Check the upper part of the card for a star marking. If you see one, it is REAL ID-compliant. Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington issue Enhanced Driver's Licenses, which TSA accepts even though most of them do not carry the star. A standard license without the star or the word "Enhanced" is not REAL ID and will not get you through TSA on its own. If you are unsure, ask your state DMV.
If you still need to upgrade, your state DMV handles it in person. At a minimum, bring proof of your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of your home address and proof of lawful status. Each state can ask for more, so check your DMV's checklist before you go.
IDs TSA accepts instead of a REAL ID license
You only need one of these. As of November 2026, TSA's list includes:
- US passport or US passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards: Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST
- State-issued Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced ID card
- Certain state mobile driver's licenses, where the state is approved and the mobile ID is based on a REAL ID or Enhanced card
- US Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card or border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID from a federally recognized Tribal Nation, including Enhanced Tribal Cards
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- USCIS Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- US Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
TSA also accepts some digital IDs as part of its testing, including Apple Digital ID, Google ID pass, CLEAR ID and Samsung ID with CLEAR, at checkpoints that can read them. Carry a physical ID as a backup, because not every lane takes digital IDs.
Two details catch people out. TSA accepts an ID from the list for up to two years after it expires, but a paper temporary driver's license is not accepted. If you just renewed at the DMV and are waiting for the card, bring your passport.
A Global Entry card is useful well beyond customs lines. If you are weighing it against TSA PreCheck, our Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck guide explains the difference. PreCheck membership itself is not an ID, so you still need one of the documents above.
What happens if you arrive without acceptable ID
Since February 1, 2026, TSA's answer is TSA ConfirmID. It is an optional, paid identity check for travelers 18 and older who do not have a REAL ID or other acceptable ID, including people whose ID was lost.
How it works, according to TSA:
- Pay in advance on TSA's ConfirmID page, which takes you to Pay.gov. Enter the traveler's legal name and the date your travel starts. Each adult pays separately. Check the current fee on tsa.gov.
- Keep the receipt. Pay.gov emails a confirmation. Show a printed or on-screen copy to the officer at the checkpoint.
- Allow extra time. TSA says the check averages 10 to 15 minutes but can take 30 minutes or more, and you can expect additional screening.
- Plan your trip around the window. One payment covers 10 days from the travel start date you entered, so a round trip inside that window needs only one.
Paying does not guarantee boarding. TSA states plainly that if it cannot verify who you are, you will not be allowed past the checkpoint. Travelers who show up without acceptable ID and without paying in advance face further delays that may cause a missed flight. ConfirmID is a safety net for a lost wallet, not a plan. If you know you will fly, use a passport or get a REAL ID.
Children and teenagers
TSA does not require travelers under 18 to show ID on flights within the United States. Airlines set their own rules, especially for unaccompanied minors and teens flying alone. Check with the airline before the day. A teen in TSA PreCheck flying alone must show acceptable ID to use the PreCheck lane.
International trips and connections
REAL ID is a domestic rule. It cannot be used to fly to another country, to cross into Canada or Mexico, or for an international cruise. A passport is still required for international air travel. That simplifies things on trips that start or end with a domestic flight:
- Domestic flight to an international one. Flying from your home airport to a hub such as Chicago or New York for a flight abroad, you will carry your passport anyway, and it satisfies TSA on the first leg. Your license does not need to be REAL ID.
- Coming home with a domestic connection. After clearing US customs at your first US airport, you usually go through TSA again before your domestic connection. Your passport works there too. Our layover guide explains how much time to leave for that step.
- Clearing US immigration abroad. At airports with US preclearance, such as Dublin and Abu Dhabi, the border check happens before you fly. Read how preclearance works.
- Visitors from abroad. A foreign passport is on TSA's list for domestic flights within the US.
Before any international trip, check that the passport meets the destination's validity rules as well. See our passport validity guide.
A quick checklist before you leave for the airport
- Check your license for the REAL ID star, or pack your passport or passport card.
- If your only ID is a paper temporary license, bring another ID from TSA's list.
- Lost your wallet? Pay for TSA ConfirmID before you leave home and arrive early.
- Traveling with teens? Check the airline's ID rules for minors.
- Flying abroad, even with a domestic first leg? Your passport is the ID that matters.
Ready to plan the trip itself? Search flights and compare live fares for your dates.
