REAL ID now required for most to fly within the US
FILE-A worker checks documents as Illinois residents enter the Real ID Super Center. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
REAL ID requirements for travelers flying in the U.S. starts Wednesday after nearly 20 years of delays. Identification is also needed for people to access some federal buildings and facilities.
According to the Associated Press, Transportation Security Administration officials noted that individuals who don’t have identification comply with REAL ID requirements to arrive early at the airport and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.
RELATED: The REAL ID deadline is here: What to know
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday assured people who don't yet have a REAL ID but need to take a domestic flight Wednesday that they will be able to fly after clearing additional identity checks. Noem also told the Associated Press tha security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification, like they have already been doing.
What is a Real ID?
Why you should care:
A REAL ID is a seal on all state-issued identification documents.
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 and was enacted following the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses," according to the Department of Homeland Security.
RELATED: REAL ID license: Deadline approaches for US travelers
The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.
All states, Washington, D.C., and the five territories are REAL ID compliant, and they are issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and IDs. Moreover, travelers who don’t show a REAL ID-compliant license or suitable ID option can’t go through a security checkpoint
Dig deeper:
According to the Associated Press, state government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen an increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to accommodate customers. Some officials have suggested that people wait for a while to get REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have a flight planned in the next few months.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting, the Associated Press, and the Department of Homeland Security. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.