Nothing can ruin a trip more than being denied boarding at the airport….absolutely nothing. For U.S. travelers, you need to take a look at your driver’s license. Does it have a star in the upper right corner? Most do not…unless they have been issued fairly recently. Of course if you are traveling internationally you most likely have a passport, so that is not a problem. But if you are on a domestic flight, new rules require that driver’s licenses be REAL ID compliant (meaning that they are more secure than the old style). This rule goes into effect October 2020……which is not that far away!
Your license will be accepted if it has a star in the upper right hand corner. If not, be sure to have an alternate form of I.D. available such as a passport; a trusted traveler card, or a border ID card. If your license is due for renewal before that date, almost every state will be in compliance (a few have gotten extensions, so check with your state).
Our advice is to get a passport….even if you are not planning to travel overseas right now, they are good for 5 years, and universally accepted. Then, if you have a sudden opportunity to travel out of the country, then that is one less thing for you to worry about.
While we are on the subject, here are a few other passport tips.
