Just seven months from now, your clients will need to present a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification (like a passport) to board their flights.
If air travelers do not update to a REAL ID by Oct. 1, 2020 or have an acceptable alternate form of ID, they will be turned away at the airport. The time to start preparing is now.
What is a REAL ID?
According The CM Group, the REAL ID act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, and it prohibits federal agencies from accepting licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards for official purposes.
If your license is REAL ID-compliant, there will be a star in the top right corner. Many drivers may not realize they already have one, since some states have been issuing them for a few years. Residents have until Oct. 1 to obtain a compliant license.
Travelers without a REAL ID will need to show an alternative form of identification, such as a U.S. passport or passport card. A full list can be found here.
Not on the Radar
An estimated 99 million Americans (39 percent) do not have any form of identification (e.g. REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID or an enhanced driver’s license) that will be accepted after Oct. 1, said Shane Downey, v.p. of government relations, on the Global Business Travel Association’s blog. The majority of Americans (57 percent) are unaware of the Oct. 1 deadline.
