TSA PSA

[VRBeauty]

Starting sometime this year, the TSA will no longer accept driver's licenses issued in ten states as an acceptable form of ID for commercial air flights, including domestic flights. People who live in the following states will need to present a passport or passport card to pass airline security. Apparently the problem is that these states' driver's licenses do not have sufficient electronic security (i.e., a chip):

Alaska
California
Illinois
Minnesota
Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico
South Carolina
Washington state
Puerto Rico
Guam
the U.S. Virgin Islands

According to Travelzoo, other acceptable forms of ID will include U.S. military ID, permanent residence cards or trusted traveler cards like NEXUS or Global Entry.

That said, about this time last year I lost a driver's license just before I was to fly from Southern California to Northern California. I got to the airport earlier than I otherwise would have. The TSD did a redundant screening - X-ray, pat-down, and checking my bags for explosive residues - but I was allowed to fly without any government-issued ID. I was grateful that I was flying out of a relatively small airport in an off-rush period.

 

[Dee*Jay]

VR, thank you for posting that. I live in Illinois (one of the states on the list) and I always carry my passport card in my suitcase now thanks to a lost drivers license in Aspen last winter (they also let me fly after screening), but I wonder how many people are going to show up at O'Hare when this goes into effect and not be able to get on a plane...

ETA: I have a copy of my passport and my drivers license in my email so I did have a color PDF that I was able to print out and present to TSA at the time.

 

[amc80]

Interesting. In WA, we can get regular or enhanced DLs. I wonder if the enhanced ones are okay?

 

[sonnyjane]

Unless you've seen something I haven't, most articles I've seen on the subject, like this one from 5 days ago, say that this is a POSSIBILITY and if does happen, they would need 120 days notice and nobody has received said notice yet : http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a18773/tsa-might-stop-accepting-six-different-state-drivers-licenses/

 

[VRBeauty]

Unless you've seen something I haven't, most articles I've seen on the subject, like this one from 5 days ago, say that this is a POSSIBILITY and if does happen, they would need 120 days notice and nobody has received said notice yet : http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a18773/tsa-might-stop-accepting-six-different-state-drivers-licenses/

Thanks for posting that article. I got my information from a Travelzoo blog. Obviously a Travelzoo blog is going to gloss over things a bit and I should have dug a little deeper before posting that. Even the Popular Mechanics article was more thorough!

From what I can tell, you're absolutely right about the 120-day notice aspect. BUT it also sounds like the government is planning to implement the requirement this year for most of the states on that list. Apparently they've already told Missouri that its exemption from the 2005 Real ID act will end on January 10 - at least with respect to Federal facilities - so Missourians would not be able to use their driver's licenses to get into most Federal Facilities. Apparently the TSA restriction would take a separate action, and of course there could also be further appeals or extensions or even lawsuits - but it sounds like theres a good possibility that these restrictions will be put in place sometime this year for some if not most of these states.

I posted this PSA as a heads up to anyone who might be affected, since it can take quite a while to get a new passport.

I renewed my driver's license just a few days ago. I did not have to bring in any supplemental proof of legal residency. Of course, I've had my driver's license for eons, and I have not idea what proofs the DMV has already seen during that time. In any event, apparently California was given a last-minute extension to July 1 to implement that aspect of the law. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015...-extension-to-meed-federal-real-id-act-rules/

 

[Calliecake]

Would this also apply to those who have been approved by TSA prescreening? I am assuming you still need a passport but wondered if the TSA prescreening would make a difference.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Flying is weird. Sometimes they ask my daughter for her name (I assume to verify who the ticket was issued to) and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they search my bag, sometimes they don't. It all seems random to me. I have seen news stories saying TSA doesn't really keep us safe. Sometimes I wonder.

 

[MollyMalone]

Interesting. In WA, we can get regular or enhanced DLs. I wonder if the enhanced ones are okay?

Don't know about Washington, but New York's enhanced driver's licenses meet REAL ID standards, so will be accepted by TSA after October 16, 2016, when our standard licenses won't suffice:
http://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/about-federal-real-id

 

[Arcadian]

When flying I always use my passport anyway. It just makes sense considering I don't always plan to drive when I get to my destination. FWIW I'm from Massachusetts, not on the list but especially for travel outside the US, Passports will always trump a State ID.

This is very good information to know.

 

[VRBeauty]

When flying I always use my passport anyway. It just makes sense considering I don't always plan to drive when I get to my destination. FWIW I'm from Massachusetts, not on the list but especially for travel outside the US, Passports will always trump a State ID.

This is very good information to know.

I just use my driver's license if I'm flying domestically. My strategy is to travel with the least and lowest level of documentation etc possible - should something get lost or stolen, it's much harder to replace a passport than a DL. Besides, I usually need my DL (or need to have it in my possession) at some point in a trip anyway. But it looks like I might have to change my strategy if my state doesn't get its act together!

 

[ame]

I am wildly irritated by this, as a MO resident. I have my passport, but still. They JUST redid our licenses here two years ago, and went through this whole rigamarole that required mailing them to us, which takes a month. We've always had to bring our SS card and birth certificate--a certified copy which required many of us to go buy a new one from the state because our original was no longer good enough, plus utility bills and shit. So, why when they redid our ID two years ago was that not made federally acceptable? Oh right, because now when this crap comes up, they can make us pay for yet another one.

 

[ksinger]

I am wildly irritated by this, as a MO resident. I have my passport, but still. They JUST redid our licenses here two years ago, and went through this whole rigamarole that required mailing them to us, which takes a month. We've always had to bring our SS card and birth certificate--a certified copy which required many of us to go buy a new one from the state because our original was no longer good enough, plus utility bills and shit. So, why when they redid our ID two years ago was that not made federally acceptable? Oh right, because now when this crap comes up, they can make us pay for yet another one.

You might want to dig a bit deeper into Mo. Your state's noncompliance may be similar to Oklahoma, a place famous for knuckledragging legislators driven by ideology over anything resembling common sense. It's why we are protected today from Sharia law and fetuses in our food. And compliance with Real ID. After refusing monetary help from the fed to get this done, now my state is doing its classic derp - the money that might have helped is gone, we're still going to have to come up with it (ha!), and we're going to have to scramble to repeal the law that wouldn't LET the state comply.

"In 2007, the Oklahoma legislature passed SB464. The legislation passed overwhelmingly in both chambers with bi-partisan support. The author of the legislation in the House was Representative Charles Key. There were co-authors in the senate: Senator Brogdon (R) and Senator Johnson (D). SB464 was signed into law on 23 May 2007. The law prohibits implementing the federal government's Real ID Act 2005. Among the many reasons SB464 was passed is the Real ID Act threatens the right of citizens to be protected against an overreaching federal government given unlimited power to control when we must show our driver's license to be able to do something. In addition to the unlimited power the Real ID Act 2005 provides the Secretary of DHS (Department of Homeland Security), our right to be protected against unreasonable search and seizure, our right not to be identified and tracked in public, our right to peacefully assemble, and our right to religious freedom are all infringed upon and threatened by the Real ID Act. This article will, among other things, explain how one federal law can impact so many rights of citizens and also discuss the tactics used by the federal government, and even some state officials, to ensure material compliance with the Real ID Act 2005."


And here is a current-ish article about the last minute stupid going on.
http://kfor.com/2015/10/12/why-oklahoma-ids-are-not-compliant-with-federal-laws/

 

[ame]

Probably the case. Wouldn't surprise me. They waste MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars trying to pass RTW which has overwhelmingly failed and the people DO NOT WANT in this state (the people have voted against it every time), instead of doing useful and important things like THIS.

 

[ksinger]

Probably the case. Wouldn't surprise me. They waste MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars trying to pass RTW which has overwhelmingly failed and the people DO NOT WANT in this state (the people have voted against it every time), instead of doing useful and important things like THIS.

Oh, OK gave up on that DECADES ago. It's why we are doing SO well today!

 

[ame]

Probably the case. Wouldn't surprise me. They waste MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars trying to pass RTW which has overwhelmingly failed and the people DO NOT WANT in this state (the people have voted against it every time), instead of doing useful and important things like THIS.

Oh, OK gave up on that DECADES ago. It's why we are doing SO well today!

 

[sonnyjane]

Looks like we have at least 2 more years. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-wont-enforce-new-id-law-at-airports-for-2-more-years/

 

[Calliecake]

Looks like we have at least 2 more years. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-wont-enforce-new-id-law-at-airports-for-2-more-years/

Thank you Sonnyjane for posting the above.

 

[NOYFB]

This is the first I've heard of this. I live in Illinois, and I had to get a new passport 2 years ago to go on my cruise last year because mine had expired and I forgot to renew it within the 10 year time limit. DH still has not gotten a new one. I guess we will have to work on that. Does anyone in IL know if a FOID card would count as appropriate identification?

 

[ame]

I bet nothing will be accomplished in these next 2 years.