The City and County of Honolulu is reminding residents that they have about one month to get their Real ID driver’s license, or state identification cards, to travel by air.
Starting May 7, adults will need Real ID driver’s licenses or ID cards — which meet federal guidelines — to check in for flights or enter some federal buildings. You can also still use a passport.
Federal agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, will not accept driver’s licenses and state identification cards that are not Real ID-compliant after the deadline.
To obtain a Real ID-compliant card, Hawaiʻi residents must show the required documents: proof of U.S. citizenship and two documents demonstrating Hawaiʻi residency. Residents must choose either a driver’s license or state ID.
Real ID-compliant cards can be identified by a star in a gold circle on the front, in the upper right-hand corner of driver’s licenses or state IDs.
“We are encouraging residents to take advantage of the DMV extended Saturday hours at select locations and make an appointment to get a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID,” said Kim Hashiro, director of the Honolulu Department of Customer Services in a news release.
The REAL ID Act was passed by U.S. Congress in 2005 following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. At the time, the 9/11 Commission found that it was too easy for people to obtain driver's licenses. The group called for ID requirements to be raised and nationally standardized.
The law was originally scheduled to be enforced in 2008, but several states have resisted compliance over the years on the basis of cost or privacy issues, NPR reports. It wasn't until 2020 that all 50 states including the District of Columbia began issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses and IDs.
There's currently no indication that the upcoming May 7 deadline will be moved again.
For more information about Real ID-compliant cards click here.
