(Ames) The Iowa Department of Transportation is reminding citizens that starting on May 7, 2025, all travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card or another acceptable document (like a passport) to board domestic commercial flights.
You do NOT need a REAL ID to:
-Drive
-Vote
-Purchase alcohol or cigarettes
-Access hospitals
-Visit the post office
-Access federal courts
-Apply for or receive federal benefits such as social security or veterans’ benefits
When to get a REAL ID:
Iowans who fly commercially or visit certain federal buildings should obtain a REAL ID soon to avoid any issues or delays after the May 7, 2025 enforcement date. Appointments are highly encouraged and can be scheduled through the Iowa DOT Service Selector (or go to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search appointments).
If you are not flying or visiting a federal facility that requires a REAL ID until later in the year, you can wait to get your REAL ID. We strongly recommend getting it two months in advance of when you need to use it.
REAL ID Compliance in Iowa (Iowans are ahead of the national average!):
-As of March 2025, 75% of all Iowa driver’s licenses and IDs are REAL ID compliant. The national average is 60%.
-Data from TSA checkpoints over a five-month period last year shows that approximately 85% of Iowans traveling domestically already possess a REAL ID.
How to Check If You Have a REAL ID:
Check the upper-right corner of your driver’s license or ID. If there is a gold star, you have a REAL ID. If the upper-right corner is blank or reads “NOT FOR REAL ID ACT PURPOSES,” then your ID is not REAL ID-compliant. For examples, visit the Iowa DOT REAL ID page (or go to the DOT’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search REAL ID).
Need a REAL ID? Here’s How to Get One:
To obtain a REAL ID-compliant credential, visit the Iowa DOT REAL ID website (or go to the DOT’s website at IowaDOT.gov and search REAL ID) for details on required documentation. This site will put together a checklist for you on the documents you need. To meet the federal requirements, just remember 1-1-2. You will need:
-1 document that proves your identity and date of birth.
-1 document that proves your social security number.
-2 documents that prove Iowa residence and residential address.
*Name change documents (if applicable, marriage certificate/divorce decree, etc.)
Iowa Mobile ID
Iowa Mobile ID is a highly secure, digital version of your state-issued driver’s license or ID, carried in the Wallet or an app on your smartphone. If you have Iowa Mobile ID, your REAL ID status information is included with it and will be available to verifiers to check. TSA recently expanded acceptance of digital IDs to more than 200 airports. For information on Iowa Mobile ID, visit https://iowadot.gov/mvd/Mobile-ID.
REAL ID History:
Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards. The standard purposes are:
- Accessing certain federal facilities.
- Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.
- Entering nuclear power plants.
To learn more about REAL ID, visit the Department of Homeland Security website at: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/about-real-id.
