Can you get through TSA without a REAL ID in Florida? What travelers can do

Travelers will soon need a new form of identification at the airport. The deadline to get a REAL ID is May 7.

But can you use another form of identification to get through TSA, get to the gate and board your flight?

Here’s what to know as the deadline approaches:

What happens if you arrive at the airport without a Real ID?

Without a REAL ID after the May 7 deadline, you can use a passport to get through TSA.

But if you go to the airport without a Real ID, passport or another acceptable piece of identification after the deadline, the Department of Homeland Security warns you “can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.”

The Transportation Security Administration states that fliers without acceptable identification will need to undergo additional security procedures.

These ID requirements apply to everyone age 18 or older, including people with TSA PreCheck. People whose identity cannot be confirmed or who refuse to complete the additional screening will not be able to pass through airport security, according to the TSA.

Can you skip REAL ID and a passport to travel?

An alternative to the traditional passport book can get you through federal security: the U.S. passport card.

While you can’t use the card for international air travel, it does offer some advantages, including the cost: $65 for adults — less than the $165 for a passport book. The card allows land border crossings into Canada and Mexico, and sea travel to certain Caribbean destinations.

The U.S. passport card is a plastic document that fits easily in your wallet, similar in size to a driver’s license.

You can apply for the U.S. passport card using the same DS-11 form used for the passport book. You can also apply for a card even if you have a passport book.

You may already have a REAL ID

A REAL ID driver’s license or state identification card can be easily identified by a star inside a circle in the upper right corner of the card. If your license has the star, it meets REAL ID standards. If not, you should apply for it as soon as possible at a driver’s license office.

Travelers in the U.S. will be required to comply with REAL ID regulations to board flights and access certain federal facilities.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, travelers can’t board domestic flights without a REAL ID card unless they have a U.S. passport. The regulation on domestic travelers follows a measure passed in 2005 to increase national security after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 6:40 AM.