Beginning Jan. 22, 2018, travelers from nine states will no longer be able to travel domestically with only a driver’s license. Residents of Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Maine, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington will have to use alternate ID forms, such as a passport, military ID or permanent resident card, to pass TSA security checkpoints.
Currently, the IDs from these states do not meet the federal government’s minimum security standards that require verification of every ID applicant’s identity, anti-counterfeit technology and background checks on those who issue driver’s licenses. According to the REAL ID Act of 2005, federal agencies, such as TSA, are prohibited from accepting identification from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards.
The TSA began placing signs around airport security checkpoints to inform travelers of the new rule going into effect in 2018. Only 24 states currently comply with the rules set forward in the act, and the remaining states have been given extensions to meet REAL ID standards. Travelers who are not from the nine states will not be affected by the change in 2018, but by 2020 all travelers must have identification in compliance with REAL ID to get through TSA security checkpoints.
As the process to change statewide ID standards is lengthy, travelers from the nine states can either get a passport or wait and see if their state’s laws change in time to comply with the TSA.
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FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
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