REAL ID requirement is officially in effect: What you need to know

(WPHL) — The REAL ID requirement is officially in effect nationwide, as of May 7. If you’re planning to travel domestically and don’t have a REAL ID, you will still be able to get past security, with some additional security.

According to AAA, REAL ID is optional for Pennsylvania residents. If you do have a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally acceptable identification (valid passport, military ID, etc.) to board domestic commercial flights, access military installations, and enter certain federal facilities.

Can you fly without a REAL ID?

Yes! According to the TSA, you may be asked by one of its officers to “complete an identity verification process.” During this process, identifying information about you, like your name and address, will be collected to confirm your identity. Once confirmed, you will be allowed into the security checkpoint but “may be subject to additional screening.”

“You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose not to provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process, or your identity cannot be confirmed,” the TSA says.

If your flight is international, you will still need a passport, plus any additional visas or travel documents, as a REAL ID does not replace or substitute a passport.

Accepted ID types:

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), all adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.

• Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent).
  • Your state-issued ID must be REAL ID compliant.
  • A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification
• State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credential
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Children under the age of 18 do not need to provide identification while flying within the U.S.

Can you still get a REAL ID after Wednesday, May 7?

Yes, REAL IDs will still be issued even after the May 7 enforcement date.

If you are hoping to get a REAL ID, you’ll want to make sure you have the necessary documentation.

At minimum, you’ll need to prove your full legal name, your date of birth, your Social Security number, two proofs of address for your principal residence, and your lawful status.

Where you don’t need a REAL ID:

As daunting as the deadline may sound, you will, most likely, not need a REAL ID in your day-to-day life (unless you’re flying or entering certain federal facilities). REAL IDs are optional.

You do not need a REAL ID to:

• Drive
• Vote
• Buy alcohol
• Enter a post office, Social Security office, or other federal facilities that otherwise do not require an ID
• Apply for or receive federal benefits you’re entitled to, like Social Security or Veterans Affairs benefits
• Receive care at hospitals
• Enter a courthouse
• Serve jury duty or participate in other law enforcement proceedings or investigations

The Associated Press contributed to this report.