Keesing / Document Verification / North American ID documents / REAL ID

REAL ID Act

The REAL ID Act is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. states and territories. It sets federal standards for the issuance of driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.

Once fully implemented, the REAL ID Act will make it difficult or impossible for terrorists and other criminals to forge identity documents and gain unlawful access to federally-regulated commercial aircraft, nuclear power plants, and certain federal facilities.

Starting May 7, 2025, travellers must present a valid REAL ID driver’s license or ID card (or a TSA-approved alternate document) to board any commercial flight in the United States. On this page, you can find information about REAL ID per state.

What you need to know:

  • Compliant states meet all REAL ID criteria for documentation of identity, security features of cards, and control of facilities that store and issue licenses and ID cards.
  • All enhanced driver’s licenses and ID cards are REAL ID-compliant

The types of REAL ID symbols currently in circulation:

Real ID Gold Star

Gold star

Real ID Black Star

Black star

Real ID Gold Star Circle

Star cutout in gold circle

Real ID Black Star Circle

Star cutout in black circle

Real ID Bear Star

Star cutout in gold grizzly bear

Real ID Maine Star

Gold outline of the state Maine

U.S. States

Real ID Alabama Keesing

Alabama

  • Issued starting:06/04/13
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star
  • Material complaint symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:No indicator

Alaska

  • Issued starting:01/02/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:"FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY"
Real ID Arizona Keesing

Arizona

  • Issued starting:02/01/23
  • REAL ID symbol:
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION” (if issued before 07/09/18) “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID” (if issued on or after 07/09/18)
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://azdot.gov/
Real ID Arkansas Keesing

Arkansas

  • Issued starting:10/03/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION” (if issued before 07/09/18) “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID” (if issued on or after 07/09/18)
Real ID California Keesing

California

  • Issued starting:01/22/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Bear Star
  • Standard:“FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY”
Real ID Colorado Keesing

Colorado

  • Issued starting:07/01/13
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold StarReal ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, VOTING OR PUBLIC BENEFIT PURPOSES”
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://dmv.colorado.gov/

Connecticut

  • Issued starting:10/03/11
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“Not for Federal Identification”

Delaware

  • Issued starting:07/01/10
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold StarReal ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION” (If issued before 06/04/18) “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID” (If issued on or after 06/04/18)
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://www.dmv.de.gov/

District of Columbia

  • Issued starting:05/01/14
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star
  • Standard cards:“NOT VALID FOR OFFICIAL FEDERAL PURPOSES”

Florida

  • Issued starting:08/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

Georgia

  • Issued starting:07/03/12
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star CircleReal ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:No indicator
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes

Hawaii

  • Issued starting:01/16/18
  • -:“NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR OFFICIAL FEDERAL PURPOSES”

Idaho

  • Issued starting:01/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“Not For REAL ID Purposes”

Illinois

  • Issued starting:01/07/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“Federal Limits Apply”

Indiana

  • Issued starting:01/01/10
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star CircleReal ID Gold StarReal ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:No indicator (if issued before 05/20/19) “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” (if issued on or after 05/20/19)

Iowa

  • Issued starting:01/15/13
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:No indicator

Kansas

  • Issued starting:08/01/17
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL ID”

Kentucky

  • Issued starting:06/28/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES”

Louisiana

  • Issued starting:10/01/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://www.expresslane.org/

Maine

  • Issued starting:07/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Maine Star
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” (before October 2019) or “NOT INTENDED FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES” (starting October 2019)

Maryland

  • Issued starting:06/20/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”
  • Digital ID/DL:https://mva.maryland.gov/Pages/MDMobileID_Apple.aspx

Massachusetts

  • Issued starting:03/26/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL ID”

Michigan

  • Issued starting:01/21/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

Minnesota

  • Issued starting:03/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

Mississippi

  • Issued starting:01/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle

Missouri

  • Issued starting:03/25/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES”
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes

Montana

  • Issued starting:01/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

Nebraska

  • Issued starting:04/15/13
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:None will be issued

Nevada

  • Issued starting:11/12/14
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES”

New Hampshire

  • Issued starting:01/03/17
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOR FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

New Jersey

  • Issued starting:06/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:NOT FOR “REAL ID” PURPOSES

New Mexico

  • Issued starting:11/14/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES” (red, in yellow bar) at top

New York

  • Issued starting:10/31/17
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES”

North Carolina

  • Issued starting:05/01/17
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

North Dakota

  • Issued starting:05/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:No indicator

Ohio

  • Issued starting:07/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL ID” Note: Prior versions of Ohio credentials may have a gold star but are not REAL ID-compliant.

Oklahoma

  • Issued starting:04/30/20
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://oklahoma.gov/dps.html

Oregon

  • Issued starting:07/06/20
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle

Pennsylvania

  • Issued starting:03/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES”

Rhode Island

  • Issued starting:12/03/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

South Carolina

  • Issued starting:03/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION”

South Dakota

  • Issued starting:01/01/10
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star

Tennessee

  • Issued starting:07/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle

Texas

  • Issued starting:10/01/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:None will be issued.

Utah

  • Issued starting:01/01/19
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard :"NOT VALID FOR IDENTIFICATION" ("DRIVING PRIVILEGE ONLY")
  • Digital ID/DL:Yes - https://dld.utah.gov/

Vermont

  • Issued starting:01/01/14
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star CircleReal ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“Drivers Privilege Card”

Virginia

  • Issued starting:10/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY”

Washington

  • Standard:“FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY” (if issued on or after 07/01/2018)

West Virginia

  • Issued starting:01/01/13
  • REAL ID symbol (Issued after late 2020):
    Real ID Gold Star Circle

Wisconsin

  • Issued starting:01/01/15
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:“NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES”

Wyoming

  • Issued starting:01/01/14
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star CircleReal ID Black Star Circle
  • Standard:None will be issued

U.S. Territories

American Samoa

  • :REAL ID extension deadline has been extended. Federal agencies will accept current driver’s licenses and ID cards at federal facilities, nuclear power plants and federally regulated commercial aircraft until 10/10/2019.

Guam

  • Issued starting:06/25/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle
  • Standard:NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Northern Mariana Islands

  • Issued starting:01/01/20
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Black Star Circle

Puerto Rico

  • Issued starting:01/01/16
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star
  • Standard:“NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES.”

US Virgin Islands

  • Issued starting:12/01/18
  • REAL ID symbol:
    Real ID Gold Star Circle

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