Federal REAL ID Requirement Deadline Pushed Back, Again

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For years, Washington drivers licenses did not meet the REAL ID requirements, meaning that at a certain deadline they could no longer be used by someone for travel. That deadline, however, keeps getting pushed back and people have still been able to use their normal ID when dealing with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The previous deadline for states to upgrade their driver’s licenses and IDs was May 3, 2023, and this has since been pushed back to May 7, 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The original deadline was set back in 2008.

Washington and other states will have more time to make it so their licenses and IDs meet the standards established by the REAL ID Act, which was passed in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission report. The act established minimum security requirements for state licenses, including anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a traveler is who they say they are.

“DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet REAL ID requirements,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said. “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”



The DHS said the lingering impacts of COVID-19 have delayed the ability for people to get the required ID cards and state agencies are working through backlogs. People in Washington who get enhanced drivers licenses for an additional fee are getting a REAL ID-compliant card. During the pandemic though, licensing officers were closed, hampering people’s ability to get proper ID. 

Washington’s regular driver’s license is not a valid federal ID because the state does not require proof of legal residency to get one.

Since 2005, the TSA has also made security improvements for checkpoints and screening. The Real ID standards, DHS said, would simply make state issued driver’s licenses and ID cards more reliable.

Only about 43% of IDs in the country are REAL ID compliant right now.