FILE: People approach the California Department of Motor Vehicles office in the Arleta neighborhood of Los Angeles on April 9, 2019.
Richard Vogel / Associated Press 2019
The deadline by which travelers will need a Real ID for domestic flights is just two weeks away, but only 55% of Californians have one.
After several years of extending the deadline to obtain a Real ID for domestic travel, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to enforce the requirement on May 7, 2025. But a CBS News data analysis conducted from April 7-18 found that almost half of Californians have not made the switch.
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Other forms of identification can replace a Real ID, such as a valid U.S. passport or passport card, a military ID or other DHS-trusted traveler cards. As the deadline approaches, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is advising passport holders to travel with their passports instead, as appointments are limited and wait times for walk-ins are long.
“Californians who do not have a REAL ID but already hold a valid passport can comfortably wait to convert to a REAL ID when their driver’s license is due for renewal,” a pop-up message on the DMV website reads.
The Transportation Security Administration said that 81% of Americans currently show acceptable IDs, including state-issued Real IDs or passports, at its checkpoints. However, that still means 1 in 5 people are showing up at airport security without proper identification.
Between 45% and 50% of Americans have a valid passport, according to NPR. That’s a significant increase from just 5% in 1990, but that’s still only around half of Americans. And it’s the same for Real IDs: As of April, just 60% of the country’s driver’s licenses and state ID cards are Real IDs, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
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For Californians in the Bay Area hoping to schedule a last-minute Real ID appointment, there are a few extended appointments available in Fremont and Pleasanton at the time of writing. But the DMV does not print IDs onsite. Instead, Californians can expect to receive their Real ID in the mail within three to four weeks. And the TSA warns that a temporary ID is not a valid form of identification. Even TSA PreCheck flyers will need to be in compliance.
“Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (i.e. passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” according to the DHS.
April 23, 2025
