Are Americans Prepared for the REAL ID?

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Mon August 7, 2023

A new survey that asked over 2,000 Americans about the REAL ID, a new identification card that travelers will be required to have in order to travel beginning May 7, 2025 found that travelers are not prepared for the REAL ID, and have a disparate understanding of what it is and when it will be necessary to have one.

Much of the confusion likely comes as the REAL ID, which is recognized as a driver’s license or ID card with a star on one corner, was supposed to be implemented several years ago, but it was withheld for two years from the pandemic.

The survey, conducted by Upgraded Points, found that while 78 percent of Americans are aware of the REAL ID’s implementation, most Americans don’t know the actual implementation date.

A quarter of respondents think the enforcement date has already passed, while a staggering 88.6 percent of respondents believe the enforcement date is earlier than it is, likely because of the multiple extensions it received since the pandemic.

"We're trying to get the word out with this one because there are some looming problems on the horizon, especially if states don't act fast," said Alex Miller, Founder of Upgraded Points. "We found that most Americans have a major misunderstanding of the Act, and most importantly, when exactly they need to have their IDs secured. And that's a potentially big problem."

Experienced and frequent travelers are 19 percent more likely to know what the REAL ID is, and are 49 percent more likely to have already acquired one for themselves.

Yet 31.9 percent of respondents are unaware of how to obtain a REAL ID in the first place. To do so, travelers should head to their local DMV and apply for one the way you’d renew a driver’s license or ID card. Obtaining one does take time and will likely cost around the same as a renewal.

Travel advisors can play a big role in helping travelers understand what it is, how to get one and when they should obtain a REAL ID.

Should a traveler head to the airport without a REAL ID following its enforcement date, they should bring along an unexpired passport, passport card or other government-issued identification to verify their identity. Anyone planning to use a state-issued driver's license or ID card will be required to use the REAL ID after the enforcement date in both domestic and international travel; anyone who does not have one and does not bring another acceptable form of identification will be turned away at the checkpoint.

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