REAL ID enforcement takes effect at airport security checkpoints

Airport security rules that sat unenforced for years are now in effect, changing what identification travelers must present to board domestic flights, according to CBS News Atlanta.

At TSA checkpoints nationwide, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, passengers without a REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or another approved form of identification are now subject to additional screening or delays.

REAL ID was passed by Congress in 2005 after recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. The law set federal standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, with the goal of improving security and consistency across states. Although the law has existed for nearly two decades, enforcement was repeatedly delayed. 

The Department of Homeland Security set May 7, 2025, as the final deadline for implementation and said the date would not be extended again. DHS introduced a phased enforcement approach to reduce disruption at airports while moving toward full compliance.

Because the current Trump administration took office in January 2025, the final rollout and enforcement have occurred during its tenure, even though the policy itself predates the administration.

Changes at checkpoints

Since May 7, travelers flying within the United States can no longer use a non–REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to pass through TSA security unless they present another acceptable form of identification.

Approved alternatives include passports and other TSA-accepted IDs. Travelers who arrive without acceptable identification may face additional screening, longer wait times, or may not be allowed to proceed through security.

Children under 18 are generally exempt from identification requirements when traveling domestically with an adult.

In Georgia, driver’s licenses and identification cards issued after 2012 are REAL ID-compliant and display a gold or black star in the corner of the card. Requirements vary by state, and not all out-of-state licenses meet federal standards.

Options for travelers without ID

TSA plans to introduce an identity verification option beginning Feb. 1, 2026.

The program, called Confirm.ID, will allow travelers without acceptable identification to verify their identity for a nonrefundable $45 fee. The verification will be valid for a 10-day travel window, which can cover round-trip flights. TSA says the process will add time at airport security checkpoints.

In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, the agency said 93.5% of travelers at Atlanta’s airport currently arrive with an acceptable form of identification. For travelers who do not, TSA recommends arriving two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights, noting that verification can take between 10 and 30 minutes. Passports and other TSA-approved IDs remain valid alternatives to a REAL ID.

With the rules now in effect, state agencies are fine-tuning how they communicate with travelers.

Georgia’s Department of Driver Services has emphasized that temporary or paper licenses are not accepted at TSA checkpoints, a detail many travelers only discover while waiting for permanent cards.

Airlines and airports have added their own reminders, folding ID checks into booking and check-in steps.