Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — In May 2025, travelers across the U.S. will need a Real ID to board a domestic flight.
Transportation officials at Logan Airport on Friday reminded Massachusetts residents to plan for this change accordingly.
Officials have been working tirelessly to ensure that Massachusetts and the RMV were ready to start issuing Real ID cards to the public ahead of the 2025 deadline.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, a Real ID is a Federal Security Standard for ID’s that was created in 2005 in response to increased security measures after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This special documentation will be required to board domestic flights within the U.S. and to enter secure federal facilities, such as military bases and federal courthouses.
Colleen Ogilvie, Registrar for the Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles said that the decision to obtain the documentation is a choice.
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“If you have an active U.S. passport, and you are going to fly domestically, perhaps you don’t need a Real ID, but if you do not have a passport and you plan to travel in May 2025 or after, we urge you to look at your Mass. Drivers licenses and if you do not have a federally compliant Real ID, now is the time to get one,” Ogilive said in a press conference.
The deadline for Massachusetts residents to obtain a Real ID is May 7, 2025, although officials said that there will be some flexibility.
“You will still be able to get on a flight [after May 7] however; if you don’t have the proper identification, it’s going to slow you down. We do have processes in place where we can vet you as much as possible before getting on a plane, but that process could take anywhere from 15-20 minutes,” said Dan Velez, TSA Spokesperson for New England.
The RMV and AAA have established a comprehensive checklist of the requisite requirements to obtain a Real ID. Some of these requirements include proof of lawful presence and date of birth, proof of social security number, and proof of Massachusetts residency.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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