Deadline Approaching for New Air Travel ID

As soon as January 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin implementing the final phase of the so-called REAL ID Act, which sets standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards acceptable by federal agencies for official purposes.

Under the final phase, which will begin "no sooner than 2016," residents of "non-compliant" states will no longer be allowed to present state-issued driver's licenses as identification for air travel, but instead will be required to present "alternative forms of identification – such as a U.S. Passport."

As of today, the non-compliant jurisdictions are: American Samoa, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York. It is up to those states, working with the federal government, to come up with a solution to this problem.
 
Implementation of REAL ID has been repeatedly delayed over the past 10 years to provide additional time for states to comply, and it is possible that further extensions could be granted. DHS has promised that before this final phase is implemented, it "will conduct an evaluation to inform a fair and achievable timeline. The date for implementing Phase 4 will be set after the evaluation has been complete; this phase will occur no sooner than 2016...DHS will ensure the public has ample advanced notice before identification requirements for boarding aircraft."
 
Given that not being able to use a driver's license to board an airplane for domestic travel could prove extremely disruptive to residents and travel businesses in the non-compliant states, ASTA has created a grassroots portal for members in those states to contact their state legislators and ask them to address this problem. If you live in Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire or New York, please take a minute to fill out this web form:

Contact Your State Legislators on REAL ID
For more information on REAL ID requirements, see
http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs.