REAL ID Documents (USA)

The REAL ID status of each state is described below. This information is current as of October 2023.

REAL ID Act

The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. states to set federal standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.

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.

Important Information

1. All enhanced driver’s licenses and identification cards are REAL ID compliant even if they do not bare a REAL ID compliance symbol. These cards are still marked as REAL ID compliant in the PDF417 barcode.

2. REAL ID allows jurisdictions to issue identification cards and driver’s licenses that are not in compliance with the requirements of the Act. Those licenses and identification cards, however, must clearly state on their face and in the machine readable zone that the card is not acceptable for official purposes.

Why this matters to us:

  1. If a barcode scans as REAL ID compliant before that jurisdiction started issuing REAL ID compliant cards, it will fail validation.
  2. If a barcode scans as not REAL ID compliant, but the jurisdiction only issued REAL ID compliant cards as of the card issue date, it will fail validation.
  3. If the indicators or non-compliance text on the front of the card do not match the barcode as of the card issue date, it will fail validation.

Some jurisdictions started issuing REAL ID compliant cards as early as 2010, however most only started in the last few years. Card issuers also change the compliance symbols, non-compliance text, and rules on arbitrary dates that do not coincide with new card designs or barcode revisions. This can make it difficult to know when to use REAL ID.

Our barcode generator has a comprehensive database of REAL ID compliance rules for all states to help you select the best option and will warn you when something doesn't look right. We also show you which symbols or non-compliance text to use on the front of the card for it to pass validation based on real cards issued during the time of the card issue date.

Alabama

Issued starting: 06/04/2013

Starting: 06/04/2013

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Starting: 04/26/2022

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Alaska

Issued starting: 01/02/2019

Starting: 01/02/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY

Arizona

Issued starting: 02/01/2023

Starting: 02/01/2023

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Starting: 07/09/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

Arkansas

Issued starting: 10/03/2016

Starting: 10/03/2016

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Starting: 07/09/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

California

Issued starting: 01/22/2018

Starting: 01/22/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY

Colorado

Issued starting: 07/01/2013

Starting: 07/01/2013

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, VOTING OR PUBLIC BENEFIT PURPOSES

Starting: 10/30/2015

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, VOTING OR PUBLIC BENEFIT PURPOSES

Connecticut

Issued starting: 10/03/2011

Starting: 10/03/2011

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Not for Federal Identification

Delaware

Issued starting: 07/01/2010

Starting: 07/01/2010

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Starting: 06/04/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

District of Columbia

Issued starting: 05/01/2014

Starting: 05/01/2014

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT VALID FOR OFFICIAL FEDERAL PURPOSES

Florida

Issued starting: 08/01/2019

Starting: 08/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Georgia

Issued starting: 07/03/2012

Starting: 07/03/2012

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Starting: 08/09/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Hawaii

Issued starting:

Idaho

Issued starting: 01/01/2018

Starting: 01/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Not For REAL ID Purposes

Illinois

Issued starting: 01/07/2019

Starting: 01/07/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Federal Limits Apply

Indiana

Issued starting: 01/01/2010

Starting: 01/01/2010

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Starting: 05/20/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Iowa

Issued starting: 01/15/2013

Starting: 01/15/2013

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Kansas

Issued starting: 08/01/2017

Starting: 08/01/2017

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

Kentucky

Issued starting: 06/28/2019

Starting: 06/28/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID PURPOSES

Louisiana

Issued starting: 10/01/2016

Starting: 10/01/2016

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Maine

Issued starting: 07/01/2019

Starting: 07/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Starting: 10/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT INTENDED FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES

Maryland

Issued starting: 06/20/2016

Starting: 06/20/2016

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Massachusetts

Issued starting: 03/26/2018

Starting: 03/26/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

Michigan

Issued starting: 01/21/2019

Starting: 01/21/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Minnesota

Issued starting: 03/01/2019

Starting: 03/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Mississippi

Issued starting: 01/01/2018

Starting: 01/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Missouri

Issued starting: 03/25/2019

Starting: 03/25/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Montana

Issued starting: 01/01/2019

Starting: 01/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Nebraska

Issued starting: 04/15/2013

All cards issued after 04/15/2013 must be compliant

Starting: 04/15/2013

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Nevada

Issued starting: 11/12/2014

Starting: 11/12/2014

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID PURPOSES

Starting: 05/24/2021

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

New Hampshire

Issued starting: 01/03/2017

Starting: 01/03/2017

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

New Jersey

Issued starting: 06/01/2019

Starting: 06/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR "REAL ID" PURPOSES

New Mexico

Issued starting: 11/14/2016

Starting: 11/14/2016

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES

New York

Issued starting: 10/31/2017

Starting: 10/31/2017

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES

North Carolina

Issued starting: 05/01/2017

Starting: 05/01/2017

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

North Dakota

Issued starting: 05/01/2018

Starting: 05/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT VALID FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Ohio

Issued starting: 07/01/2018

Starting: 07/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL ID

Oklahoma

Issued starting: 04/30/2020

Starting: 04/30/2020

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Oregon

Issued starting: 07/06/2020

Starting: 07/06/2020

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Not for REAL ID Act

Pennsylvania

Issued starting: 03/01/2019

Starting: 03/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Rhode Island

Issued starting: 12/03/2018

Starting: 12/03/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

South Carolina

Issued starting: 03/01/2018

Starting: 03/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

South Dakota

Issued starting: 01/01/2010

Starting: 01/01/2010

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Tennessee

Issued starting: 07/01/2019

Starting: 07/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Texas

Issued starting: 10/01/2016

All cards issued after 10/01/2016 must be compliant

Starting: 10/01/2016

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Utah

Issued starting: 01/01/2019

Starting: 01/01/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: VALID FOR IDENTIFICATION ("DRIVING PRIVILEGE ONLY")

Vermont

Issued starting: 01/01/2014

Starting: 01/01/2014

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Drivers Privilege Card

Starting: 06/11/2019

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: Drivers Privilege Card

Virginia

Issued starting: 10/01/2018

Starting: 10/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY

Washington

Issued starting: 07/01/2018

Starting: 07/01/2018

REAL ID Compliant: Enhanced Drivers License

Non-Compliant: FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY

West Virginia

Issued starting: 01/01/2013

Starting: 01/01/2013

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION

Starting: 12/12/2020

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES

Wisconsin

Issued starting: 01/01/2015

Starting: 01/01/2015

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES

Wyoming

Issued starting: 01/01/2014

All cards issued after 01/01/2014 must be compliant

Starting: 01/01/2014

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator

Starting: 01/30/2020

REAL ID Compliant:

Non-Compliant: No indicator