You Can Use Driver’s Licenses From All 50 States At U.S. Airports Until October 2018
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The Transport Security Administration’s Real I.D. rules are a constant whirlwind of panic every time a new deadline approaches. We all second-guess our driver’s licenses’ ability to get us through TSA checkpoints and pack our passports just in case something goes wrong. (No? Just me? I admit that the solutions to my travel anxiety could fill their own carry-on, but better to be safe than sorry.)
However, we can now all breathe a sigh of relief because driver’s licenses from all 50 states will get you on your domestic flights until October of 2018.
So, why all the hoopla and confusion? Well, the main goal of the Real I.D. rules is to prevent fraud. Driver’s licenses are being updated across the country to include all sorts of watermarks and identifying features that are hard to forge, but that means that everyone who still has an old license now needs a new one.
States fall into two categories going forward. Some states are good to go until 2020, while some have to focus on that October 2018 deadline. (It’s October 11, 2018, to be exact.) You can find out which category your state falls into on the TSA Real I.D. website.
We’d still recommend getting a passport — your passport isn’t affected by Real I.D. rules at all. If you aren’t motivated by the potential of international travel, then maybe a possible trip abroad plus the ability to ignore every headline about Real I.D. rules from now until the end of time will convince you to pony up and get a passport.
The passport application process takes about four to six weeks. You can apply for one at many post offices, courthouses and even libraries around the country. It costs $135, but a passport is valid for 10 years. Renewing it then costs $110 for another 10 years of use.
So, for now, you can ignore those scary signs at the airport implying that your I.D. will imminently be denied at the gate. You’ve got until October to figure things out.
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