Residents of Nine States May Need US Passport or Green Card to Board Domestic Flights

Residents of some nine states in the United States might need to have a valid US passport, permanent resident card or other form of ID to board domestic flights beginning January, 2018.

The US Transport Security Administration (TSA) will stop accepting driver’s licenses from states that do not comply with the REAL ID Act beginning January 22nd, 2018. The Real ID Act was enacted in 2005 following the 2001 US terrorist attacks, and requires states to adopt strict standards to issue and produce driver’s licenses. The act was meant to enhance national security and reduce identity theft.

Majority of the states have complied with the new requirements, but nine states got an extension to comply in 2016. The extension expires on January 22nd, 2018.

Unless the Department of Homeland Security grants further extensions, residents of the following states will need another form of ID as their driver’s licenses will not meet the minimum security standards of the Department of Homeland Security: Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington state.