TSA now requires Real ID to fly. What you need to know
Starting May 7, the Transportation Security Administration will no longer accept non-Real ID compliant identification cards at all airports.
If you’re a Georgian, however, you’re probably already covered.
The state began issuing Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses in 2012. And the Department of Driver Services said Georgia is 99.9% covered. ID cards with a black or gold star in the upper right corner are compliant.
Commissioner Spencer Moore in a recent statement said the agency has seen an increase in Georgians visiting its centers, even though they are already compliant. Both colors of stars signify Real IDs; the two colors were because of a prior design change, he clarified.
The federal Real ID Act, passed in 2005, laid out requirements for all state-issued IDs to feature additional security measures, initially with a 2008 effective date.
The idea came from the 9/11 Commission, which recommended stricter driver’s license security measures.
Because of state backlogs and the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline was pushed out repeatedly until this spring.
Since Georgia started issuing Real ID-compliant licenses ahead of many other states and most Georgia driver’s licenses are valid for up to eight years, almost all Georgia licenses are compliant.
In a recent statement, TSA said nationwide 81% of travelers are already presenting compliant IDs.
But those who do not — and do not have another alternative like a passport — “can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.”
About the Author
As a business reporter, Emma Hurt leads coverage of the Atlanta airport, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Norfolk Southern and other travel and logistics companies. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she worked as an editor and Atlanta reporter for Axios, a politics reporter for WABE News and a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
