If You’re From One of These Five States, You’ll Likely Need a Passport for a Domestic Flight

[twomp]

Don't be alarmed people. The government is here to keep us safe. Trust our government.


Starting in 2016, travelers from five U.S. states will not be able to use their driver’s licenses as ID to board domestic flights—a pretty major development considering an estimated 38 percent of Americans don’t have passports.

The standard licenses from New York, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and American Samoa are considered “noncompliant” with the security standards outlined in the Real ID Act, which was enacted back in 2005 but is being implemented in stages. Why are these specific licenses deemed sub-par? In these five states, getting a license doesn't require proof of citizenship or residency.

The new rules will go into effect sometime in 2016 (the exact date has not been announced), and there will be a three-month forgiveness period, during which people with these licenses will be warned that their IDs are no longer valid for flights.

Here’s the breakdown: if you're from one of these states, “acceptable” IDs include passports and passport cards, as well as permanent resident cards, U.S. military ID, and DHS trusted traveler cards such a Global Entry and NEXUS.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/drivers-licenses-new-york-domestic-flight-real-id

[tasteless]

I'm going to laugh if this ends up causing New York to make it harder for illegal immigrants to get licenses.

[timosman]

Flying does not require ID. Did something change recently ?

[LibertyEagle]

Flying does not require ID. Did something change recently ?

Are you kidding? They've been requiring a driver's license for quite awhile now.

[timosman]

Are you kidding? They've been requiring a driver's license for quite awhile now.

The sheep has been complying, but it is not necessary. From the horse's mouth - The TSA Blog - http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/04/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-can-you-fly.html

TSA Travel Tips Tuesday – Can You Fly Without an ID?


Did the gnome that steals your socks and car keys run off with your ID? Did your license expire and you don’t have time to renew it before you travel? Did you lose your wallet? Did you simply forget your ID at home? While it is much easier to go through screening with the proper identification, you’re not going to cause a snafu if you don’t have it.

If you’re 17 or younger, no problem… you don’t need ID to travel. If you’re 18 or older, no worries… you can still travel.

How so? Simply approach the travel document checker and let them know that you don’t have your ID. At this point, you will be asked a simple randomly computer generated question such as: “What is the average annual rainfall in the Amazon basin?”

Seriously though… You’ll be able to fly as long as you provide us with some information that will help us determine you are who you say you are.

If you’re willing to provide some additional information, we have other means of substantiating your identity, such as using publicly available databases. If we can confirm your identity, you’ll be cleared to go through security, and you may or may not have to go through some additional screening.

If we can’t confirm your identity with the information you provide or you’re not willing to provide us with the information to help us make a determination, you may not be able to fly. Regardless, if you do not have ID, please allow extra time for check in. We would not want you to miss you flight.

You can find a list of acceptable IDs here.

Every Tuesday, I plan to share tips for convenient travel and other useful customer information on my blog. If you have your own tips to add, please feel free to leave a comment! See you next Tuesday!

Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team

[tod evans]

Are you kidding? They've been requiring a driver's license for quite awhile now.

Last time I flew was from Podunk to Atlanta, 10 years ago, needed ID at both ends then.

[XNavyNuke]

The sheep has been complying, but it is not necessary. From the horse's mouth - The TSA Blog - http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/04/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-can-you-fly.html

TSA Travel Tips Tuesday – Can You Fly Without an ID?

If you fly OUTUS, you still need a passport to travel to most other countries.

XNN

[timosman]

If you fly OUTUS, you still need a passport to travel to most other countries.

XNN

We are talking domestic flights here. Most other countries do not include Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda — countries that are part the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. You can use Passport Card - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Passport_Card

[Danke]

We are talking domestic flights here. Most other countries do not include Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda — countries that are part the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. You can use Passport Card - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Passport_Card

Can't be used for air travel.

[angelatc]

.....38 percent of Americans don’t have passports.

I am surprised that more than half of us do.

[timosman]

Can't be used for air travel.

Whoops! I stand corrected. :(

[timosman]

I am surprised that more than half of us do.

According to the Dept of State stats http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/statistics.html there were 121mln passports in circulation in 2014, many of them issued to people under 18. There were 245mln adults in the same year http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html . Even assuming all passport holders are over 18 this does not put us over 50% threshold. If you take the general population of 318mln you get 38%(!). A convenient mistake. This article possible purpose is to make the idea of Real ID more palatable to the general population.

Somebody should correct the author:

644581147788333056

[TheCount]

Can't be used for air travel.

Not for international air travel, but can be used as proof of ID for domestic travel.

[timosman]

Not for international air travel, but can be used as proof of ID for domestic travel.

Thank you for your valuable contribution to the thread. :D

[Brian4Liberty]

The sheep has been complying, but it is not necessary. From the horse's mouth - The TSA Blog - http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/04/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-can-you-fly.html

TSA Travel Tips Tuesday – Can You Fly Without an ID?

Wouldn't recommend it if you are short on time. They have to call a central phone number to do the screening. Think of it as getting into a second line. "Due to a high call volume, your estimated wait time will be 45 minutes..."

[Anti Federalist]

Too bad the "Anti Real ID" wave was nothing more than a partisan fluke, an "Anti GWB" wave.

All these states will crimp and fold into compliance, faster than a Chinese laundry.

[Matt McGuire]

Edit: nevermind. redundant post

[alucard13mm]

With the north american union, we wont need ID or passports anymore!!!! No more showing papers to the kops and authorities.

[Danke]

Thank you for your valuable contribution to the thread. :D

I know, the guy is a fucking genius.

[DamianTV]

Fuck you Frank Lutz!

[Voluntarist]

xxxxx

[XNavyNuke]

In Wisconsin, most opt-out of RealID documentation.

Most Wisconsinites opt out of Real ID (http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/2015/10/01/wisconsinites-opt-real-id/)


Wisconsin adopted the federal standards, known as Real ID, in January 2013 and offered residents a choice between Real ID compliance identification and standard licenses and ID cards.

Since then, 714,003 Wisconsites, about 23 percent, decided to get ID cards that meet the federal standards. Those Real ID cards can be used for federal identification purposes, like entering certain federal buildings and nuclear plants.

XNN

[idiom]

.......Who doesn't have a passport?

[timosman]

.......Who doesn't have a passport?

Most US citizens. Did you follow the thread ?

[dannno]

The article did specify that 38% of US citizens don't have passports - that number may actually be closer to 50% or more - I would bet that air travellers are much more likely to have them, and somebody living on welfare in the inner city who doesn't fly would be less likely to have them - so effectively it may be around 38% of airline passengers don't have passports - maybe less - either way that is still a lot of airline passengers without passports.

[idiom]

Most US citizens. Did you follow the thread ?

That means most US citizens never leave the country.

Which actually explains a lot.

[XNavyNuke]

Which means the US has "States" not "Countries". I can travel on the ground from Boston to Phoenix and never leave the country. Someone traveling from Sofia to London travels about the same distance but may cross ten borders even on a direct route. Someone in the US can travel from the tropics to the arctic and "never leave home".

XNN