Starting in just over three months, travelers across the country will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or other approved identification to board an airplane for domestic flights. Federal and state officials are urging New Yorkers to be prepared.
The REAL ID program goes back to the Bush Administration, an attempt after 9/11 to ensure airline safety. After some hiccups in implementing it caused by COVID-19, the federal government now says the program goes into effect May 7. Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman for upstate New York, expects a learning curve that could affect everyone boarding a flight.
"You might be delayed, you might miss your flight, it's all going to depend on how many people in front of you do not have that form of ID and that kind of a backup," Farbstein said. "So we're looking at creating a way to sort of phase in with beginning enforcement on May 7. We don't have that phase in program ironed out just yet. As soon as we do we'll be posting that on our website."
There are several REAL ID documents, including passports, and Military ID’s. But the easiest way to ensure there’s no delay is to get a REAL ID-compliant driver's license. So the state Department of Motor Vehicles is working with TSA to encourage New Yorkers to update their licenses. State DMV spokeswoman Lisa Koumjian said local departments have boosted staff and offer appointments to make the change. And there are also tools on the DMV website.
"There's a little bit of a document guide we call it," Koumjian said. "It'll walk you through a series of questions and ask you what sorts of documents you have, have you ever changed your name, and then it'll print out a checklist for you at the end. So you know exactly what to bring to the DMV with you."
You can check if you already have a REAL ID at the top right-hand corner of a driver's license, if there’s a star there, you won’t have any problems boarding planes starting May 7.
