You need a Real ID by May 7th. Or else!

Unless you're sneaking in from Venezuela. Then you ....

Real ID deadline is May 7. What you need to know

By Carrie Shepherd,Monica Eng, Axios News

Feb 3, 2025

After a series of delays, the TSA says you have to get your Real ID by May 7.

Why it matters: After that date, Real IDs or valid passports will be required for domestic travel and entry into certain government facilities.

State of play: The Real ID is 20 years in the making after Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government should have one standard source of identification, rather than accepting state driver's licenses, which have state-specific requirements.

It looks just like your driver's license but has a symbol in the upper right corner; in Illinois it's a yellow star, in California it's a yellow bear, for example.

Friction point: Some reasons for the decades of delays include states not wanting federal oversight of their ID systems, low compliance with actually getting the Real ID and administrative hurdles because of the pandemic.

You need a Real ID if:

You travel on a plane in the U.S. (and don't have a valid passport)

Visit a military base

Visit a secure federal building like a courthouse

You DON'T need a Real ID, only a driver's license to:

Drive

Vote

Open a bank account

Apply for or receive Veterans' or Social Security benefits

Enter a post office

Visit a hospital

Take the Illinois Secretary of State's quiz if you're still not sure whether you need a Real ID.

How it works: You have to go to a Secretary of State facility to get your Real ID — can't do this online.

You need proof of ID like a U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, or a foreign passport with an approved I-94 form.

You need proof of your full Social Security number like a SSN card, a W-2 or a pay stub.

Two current forms that prove residence like a lease, mortgage or utility bill.

You have to prove your signature.

Zoom out: Here's the full checklist.

Zoom in: Monica recently headed down to the Secretary of State's office on LaSalle (after putting it off) to see just how long (and how annoying) the process of getting the Real ID would be.

Monica's thought bubble: When I got there at 3pm, the line was backed up to the door but I got through all four stations — for document presentation, picture taking, initialing forms and paying — in 35 minutes.

The DMV official wouldn't accept my normal illegible signature, so I made a few letters recognizable. But now it doesn't match my regular signature. 😬

Officials punched a hole in my extant driver's license, gave me a temporary paper ID and I received my Real ID by mail two weeks later.

My advice: Gather all the right documents before you go using this ILSOS checklist, plan to spend 45 minutes in line and enjoy the relative efficiency.

What's next: Current Illinois driver's licenses or ID cards will continue to be accepted at airports, military bases and secure federal facilities until May 7, 2025.