One year to Real ID: What you need to know now
The clock is ticking. You now have one year to get your Real ID-compliant driver's license to fly within the United States.
The Transportation Security Administration has set a deadline of Oct. 1, 2020, for anyone 18 years of age or older to have a Real ID-compliant license or another acceptable form of identification or not be able to board a plane.
Click here for other acceptable forms, according to the TSA.
Despite the government warning travelers that they must have Real-ID-compliant identification, about 57% of Americans don't know about it, The Washington Post reported.
And while passports are an approved alternative, a majority of Americans do not have one. Only 42% hold a passport, while 90% of Americans have a license if they're old enough to do so, the Post reported.
To see if your license is a Real ID, a star will be on the upper area of the card, the TSA said. If you are not sure if your license or other state-issued identification complies with Real-ID, the TSA says to check with your state department of motor vehicles.
Most states are compliant well before the deadline, with a handful of states being given extensions, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
