Due to COVID-19: Deadline for Flying Nationwide in the U.S. Without a Real ID Extended Another Year to October 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many state agencies that handle driver’s licenses have stopped operating, affecting the issuance of Real IDs. On March 25, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf announced that the deadline for strict enforcement of the Real ID rules would be postponed by one year, from the original October 1, 2020 to October 1, 2021.

Therefore, regardless of whether your driver’s license is a Real ID, you can still use it to board a flight or enter high-security federal facilities before October 1, 2021. There is no need to rush to update your license.

Although Real ID was established by a law passed in 2005, its enforcement deadline has been delayed again and again, so we do not know whether 2021 will really be the year it is formally implemented. Want to know how to apply for a Real ID? You can read our previous post: Guide to U.S. Real ID Driver’s Licenses and How to Apply (Including California Application and Renewal Experience).