Adapted for Portland from an article by Hey Philly.
Have you gotten your REAL ID yet? If not — from one procrastinator to another — this is a PSA that your non-REAL ID driver’s license isn’t gonna cut it at airport security starting May 7, 2025 … less than four months from now.
What Is REAL ID, Anyway?
For most purposes, REAL IDs and other state-issued ID cards aren’t that different. The main distinction is that, starting in May, you can use a REAL ID to board a domestic flight, and other state-issued IDs that aren’t considered REAL ID-compliant will no longer be accepted by the TSA.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act of 2005 as a way to increase air travel security post-9/11. According to The Washington Post, the federal law sets minimum standards for the types of documents you have to show to get an ID card that’s considered acceptable for domestic air travel (i.e., a REAL ID), and it also lays out the types of anti-counterfeiting measures that states have to take when issuing those cards.
Implementation has been delayed … a lot. Originally, enforcement of the law was supposed to start in 2008, but that deadline got pushed to 2020, then 2021, then 2023 — and then 2025.
Do I Need a REAL ID?
It depends. You’ll need one if you’re 18 or older and want to take a domestic flight, get into a federal government facility that requires ID, or enter a military base — unless you have a different form of federally-accepted ID that you can show instead, like a passport or military ID.
Why the Delays?
At first, not all states offered REAL ID-compliant cards, and some pushed back against the requirements because of privacy or cost issues, according to NPR. Oregon first started offering REAL ID cards in 2020.
The other deadline shifts have been pandemic-related. The most recent one was meant to provide the state agencies that issue the cards more time to work through COVID-era backlogs.
How Do I Get a REAL ID in Oregon?
To get a REAL ID, you have to visit a DMV. Good news: It’s possible to make an appointment in advance.
Before you go, make sure you have all the documents you need. They’ll ask for proof of identity, proof of your Social Security Number, proof of address, and proof of any legal name changes. (Here’s the document checklist.) Be sure to bring those with you to the DMV.
The ID will cost you upwards of $60, plus renewal fees once it expires.
How Can I Tell If My ID is Already a Real ID?
Whether your ID was issued by Oregon or another state, it should have a star in the upper corner if it’s considered REAL ID-compliant.
Correction: Owing to an editing error, an earlier version of this article misstated how much a REAL ID costs.
