WASHINGTON, Sept 12 – The Biden administration proposed on Thursday to delay full enforcement of the new identification card regulations for air travel and federal building access by an additional two years, pushing the deadline to May 2027.
Congress initially passed federal standards for issuing identification cards in 2005, but enforcement has been repeatedly delayed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously extended the “REAL ID” enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025, but is now proposing a phased approach to gradually implement the new requirements through May 2027.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of DHS and responsible for overseeing airport security, warned that enforcing the requirements immediately could significantly impact U.S. airlines and airports. Without postponement, DHS believes U.S. agencies could face serious risks of operational disruption, negative public backlash, and potential security vulnerabilities.
The 2005 law stems from the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, urging the U.S. government to set standards for issuing identification like driver’s licenses. The law mandates minimum security standards for issuing and producing these IDs.
One major issue is that over 124 million Americans still do not possess REAL ID-compliant identification. DHS estimates that around 162 million REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or other forms of ID have been issued, covering about 56% of the population.
To ease the transition, TSA suggested issuing warning notices or implementing progressive penalties instead of fully enforcing the REAL ID requirements starting in May.