Real ID

Explanation

The Real ID Act of 2005 set minimum federal standards for state-issued credentials — driver’s licenses, permits and identification cards — so that a compliant credential can be used for federal identification purposes, including boarding commercial flights, entering military bases, and accessing other secure federal facilities. Indiana has been compliant with these requirements since January 1, 2010.

Federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will only accept a Real ID-compliant credential for these purposes, including at TSA airport security checkpoints. To find out whether your own Indiana credential is Real ID-compliant, check the upper right-hand corner for a star marker.

Example

A driver about to board a commercial flight checks their Indiana license and sees a star in the upper right-hand corner, confirming it is Real ID-compliant and acceptable at the TSA checkpoint.

Common mistake

Assuming every Indiana credential is automatically Real ID-compliant. The manual says to check for the star marker — a credential without one is not compliant and won’t satisfy DHS or TSA identification requirements.

What the manual says

The Real ID Act of 2005 established minimum standards for state-issued credentials.

Federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) and Transportation Security Administration(TSA), will only accept Real ID compliant state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards as identification for purposes of accessing federal facilities - including TSA airport security checkpoints.

To determine if your credential is Real ID-compliant, check to see if it has a star in the upper right-hand corner (please see the credential images on p.1.)