If you’re a resident of New York, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Louisiana, or America Samoa, the airport is about to get that much more difficult for you.
On an undetermined date in 2016, driver’s licenses from those states will no longer be accepted as sufficient enough to clear airport security and to board a plane. This is a result of the Real ID Act which was passed by Congress as a counterterrorism measure. It seeks to standardize the reliability and efficacy of personal identification. However, the licenses of the states listed above failed to meet the security and identity verification standards of Congress.
Real ID was put into effect by the Department of Homeland Security in 2014 in phases. Phase one involved restricted government areas, phase two and three dealt with semi-restricted areas, but phase four regarded federally regulated aircraft, a.k.a, the common American, you, is going to be affected sooner or later.
If you’re flying abroad, however, you have nothing to fear as you’ll need to carry your passport regardless. However, if you’re flying domestically, you might need to take your passport if you’re from one of the listed states.
In New York State, you can purchase an enhanced ID that meets the requirements of the Real ID Act. However, it’s much thicker and, let’s be honest, who wants to drop another $30 dollars on an ID you already have?
It’s just another inconvenience, if you ask me.
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