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Real ID deadline approaching - What to know if you haven't updated your license

By Amber Eikenberry
Published  January 23, 2025 1:56pm EST
Travel
FOX 2 Detroit

The Brief

    • Beginning May 7, 2025, Real IDs will be required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities, like military bases.
    • Several forms of ID you have may already be compliant, such as a passport or military ID.
    • Real ID designation can also be added to Michigan driver's licenses.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - In just a few months, new laws will go into effect for flying domestically and entering certain federal facilities as part of the Real ID Act.

On May 7, all Americans will need a Real ID compliant document to board a flight, enter military bases, and more. 

Here's what to know about Real IDs, and why you need one.

What is a Real ID?

The backstory:

The Real ID Act was passed in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. 

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the act set security standards for identification that is used to board domestic flights, access federal facilities, such as miliary bases, and access nuclear power plants.

Types of Real IDs:

Several forms of identification fall into the Real ID category. Here are some examples:

  • A driver's license with Real ID designation or an enhanced license - In Michigan, this means your license will have a star inside a gold circle or a star inside a gold Michigan. If your license does not have this, you may need to get a new ID. More on that below.
  • A United States passport
  • A United States passport card
  • A foreign government-issued passport
  • A Veteran Health Identification Card
  • A U.S. Department of Defense ID

For a full list of Real ID compliant identification, click here.

A Real ID-compliant Michigan driver's license (Photo: Michigan SOS)

How to get a Real ID license in Michigan

To have your license or identification changed to a Real ID, you will need to visit a Secretary of State office and bring:

  • Your current Michigan driver’s license or ID
  • A valid, unexpired U.S. passport or birth certificate

If your name doesn't match the name on your birth certificate, you also need to bring certified documents, such as a marriage license, that shows each time your name has changed.

Price:

If you are renewing your license or ID, there is no additional fee for a Real ID.

However, if you are updating your identification outside of renewal time, you will have to pay $9 to update a license or $10 to update an ID.

What happens if you don't have a Real ID?

If you don't have a Real ID compliant identification on or after May 7, you will not be able to board a flight or access military bases and nuclear power plants.

However, a non-Real ID license can still be used how it normally would be -- as identification, to cash a check, to drive, and to rent a vehicle, for example. 

The Source: Information from the Michigan Secretary of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Transportation Security Administration was used to write this story. 

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