Passport for Traveling by Plane within the US

[mtfarlin]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this or not. Just was reading on another Disney fan site some info I did not realize was taking place. Starting this year, 2016, that US travelers, adult and children, traveling by plane ANYWHERE within the US, will be required to show a valid US passport for ID only and the TSA will no longer accept any other forms of ID including drivers licenses, etc. This will vary by state regulations and when they will phase in this requirement during 2016. This is the first I have heard of this, so just wondering if it is a valid claim or not...thanks

 

[Gracie09]

There are four states that have not complied with enhanced identification protocol (ny and Louisiana are two I know off the top of my head). If you have an id from those states you MAY need a passport next year but then again you may not. It hasn't been determined what is going tonhappen

 

[soniam]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/realid.asp

 

[IrishNYC]

http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-12-30/tsa-to-stop-accepting-drivers-licenses-from-9-us-states

These states and territories have 120 days from January 10, 2016 to comply or maybe there will be consequences. Maybe.

 

[MolonLabe]

There are four states that have not complied with enhanced identification protocol (ny and Louisiana are two I know off the top of my head). If you have an id from those states you MAY need a passport next year but then again you may not. It hasn't been determined what is going tonhappen

There has been another delay in actually requiring the enhanced ID's. So travelers will still have time to figure things out, which should be until at least June 2016 at this point.

This entire "Real id" debacle has been a joke. Again it's more nonsense that won't do anything to prevent what it was initially designed to prevent. i.e. stopping terrorists like the ones on 9-11. Since none of them would need a enhanced ID today, it's only a burden on the States and the citizens of the US. It does nothing for those who actually commit these acts of terror.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

Your DL is an acceptable form of ID
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-12-30/tsa-to-stop-accepting-drivers-licenses-from-9-us-states

These states and territories have 120 days from January 10, 2016 to comply or maybe there will be consequences. Maybe.

Actually what the 120 day part means is TSA will alert people in the non-compliant States 4 months in advance if their licenses are no longer valid forms of IDs for traveling.

They are not enforcing the REAL ID act at all right now but have the ability to do so when they want to but again they will give 6 months notice to those impacted. That will give a person adequate time to obtain a passport should they not have another form of acceptable ID.

In MO (I live in KS near the boarder of MO so believe me all the news sources have been writing a bunch about this since our major airport used by eastern KS and MO is in MO) their DLs will immediately upon 1/10/16, should an extension or exemption not be requested and granted, become invalid when entering federal buildings that require IDs to be shown including military bases but this rule is NOT the same for traveling. If a person does not have another acceptable form of ID then they will have to obtain a passport to enter into that federal facility.

 

[aviva5675]

I live in Illinois which is one of the states that has not complied. Illinois DL will not be acceptable ID for flying inside the US starting around the end of January. It already is not acceptable at some Federal buildings and military sites. Passport will be required-- tho you supposedly can undergo further screening with just a DL.

 

[slickpoetry]

I live in Illinois which is one of the states that has not complied. Illinois DL will not be acceptable ID for flying inside the US starting around the end of January. It already is not acceptable at some Federal buildings and military sites. Passport will be required-- tho you supposedly can undergo further screening with just a DL.

I don't think they will start enforcing that by the end of January. I live in Illinois too and I believe they will accept Illinois DL for about 120 more days.

They are not publicizing this very well at all. They need to give people time to comply, which means hard deadlines need to be implemented and publicized to give travelers the time needed to secure a passport. For example, I have a flight to WDW booked January 17. I'm not sure I could secure a passport by then.

 

[larryz]

Some answers to common questions available here.

Considering the Real ID act has been law since 2005, I'd say the people have had plenty of time to comply. Write your state government if you're concerned.

 

[bumbershoot]

I live in Illinois which is one of the states that has not complied. Illinois DL will not be acceptable ID for flying inside the US starting around the end of January.

No. http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs

They will give 3 months notice, and that notice has not been given other than journalists writing snazzy headlines and having the 1st paragraph make it sound like This Is It, and then the second paragraph saying "oh, nevermind".


And, of course, you don't even NEED ID to fly domestically. Read the last bit here: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

My dad has no DL, ID, or passport, and flies at least once a year. He goes early, chats with them, and continues on.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'd say the people have had plenty of time to comply.

Has nothing to do with the people, though, right? It has to do with state governments, States Rights, and the rest of that. People will do what they have to do. But if you literally cannot go to your DMV and get a compliant ID, then it has nothing to do with the people at all.

 

[North of Mouse]

There are four states that have not complied with enhanced identification protocol (ny and Louisiana are two I know off the top of my head).

LA is not one of them that I know of.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I don't think they will start enforcing that by the end of January. I live in Illinois too and I believe they will accept Illinois DL for about 120 more days.

They are not publicizing this very well at all. They need to give people time to comply, which means hard deadlines need to be implemented and publicized to give travelers the time needed to secure a passport. For example, I have a flight to WDW booked January 17. I'm not I sure I could secure a passport by then.

I too live in Illinois and will be flying out on 2/1 with a friend to WDW...I have a passport but she doesn't. I have heard about this new law that is suppose to happen in 2016 but haven't been monitoring it that closely. I agree with you that they need to publicize it better then they have, I only found out about it by scrolling through FB one day, and then telling my friend about it (she isn't on FB). My friend is a bit nervous about this whole thing, she is in the process of filling out the application to get a passport, but we aren't sure what will happen if it doesn't come before we leave. She thought she may just bring her birth certificate with her just in case, then again I don't know if that would be enough either. I guess we will have to wait and see on 2/1. Thankfully my whole family has updated passports for our trip in June to DLR because I am assuming by then everything will have gone into effect.

 

[msb578]

There are four states that have not complied with enhanced identification protocol (ny and Louisiana are two I know off the top of my head). If you have an id from those states you MAY need a passport next year but then again you may not. It hasn't been determined what is going tonhappen

New York has an enhanced drivers license... you just have to pay extra for it. I have one, but it's mostly useless for me now since I got a passport for a cruise.

 

[larryz]

Has nothing to do with the people, though, right? It has to do with state governments, States Rights, and the rest of that. People will do what they have to do. But if you literally cannot go to your DMV and get a compliant ID, then it has nothing to do with the people at all.

My point (which is why I said to complain to your state government) -- as soon as people found out their state wasn't going to comply, they could have bought a passport/passport card. I think it sucks that it comes down to this, but a couple of states don't want to upgrade their DL production software, so cheaping out will cost their citizens one of these days.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

I wonder, in the 10+ years since this law was passed, how many incidents have occurred that would have been prevented by compliance with the law? I went through four pages of a Google search looking for one and found none. Meanwhile the hassle and expense are evident.

 

[siskaren]

I don't think they will start enforcing that by the end of January. I live in Illinois too and I believe they will accept Illinois DL for about 120 more days.

They are not publicizing this very well at all. They need to give people time to comply, which means hard deadlines need to be implemented and publicized to give travelers the time needed to secure a passport. For example, I have a flight to WDW booked January 17. I'm not sure I could secure a passport by then.

Yep, I'm in Illinois and that's what I heard, too.

And I agree - Although I don't have any experience with getting a passport, from what I've heard, I'd say it's unlikely you'd be able to get one by the end of the month (or in your case, less than 2 weeks.)

 

[Dug720]

New York has an enhanced drivers license... you just have to pay extra for it. I have one, but it's mostly useless for me now since I got a passport for a cruise.

And as I understand it, the New York enhanced DL doesn't even meet RealID standards. Since I have a passport already, I'm holding off on paying for the EDL until they get their act together to make it RealID compliant. I'm not paying extra twice.

 

[Miskey]

LA is not one of them that I know of.

Louisiana has not complied