Getting Your REAL ID Is Pretty Easy In New York State

If you plan on traveling by air in the United States, you are quickly running out of time to ensure you have the proper identification you need. In case you missed it, America changed the rules of the type of ID you can use when traveling by air at American airports.

In response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005. That new law required minimum legal standards for what is considered a valid ID in the United States, and it set a deadline for Americans to obtain this type of ID or lose access to airports, military bases, and federal buildings.

READ MORE: Soon, New Yorkers Won’t Be Able To Fly Without This

The deadline has been extended a few times, with the most recent deadline pushed from May 3, 2023, to May 7, 2025, due to many states pushing back and requesting more time.

Like some other states, New York State does not require residents to obtain a REAL ID and, by default, offers a non-REAL ID. This, of course, could potentially create a problem for millions of New Yorkers since there is less than a year left to upgrade their ID or miss out on some things we take for granted.

However, obtaining your REAL ID is not that difficult, and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles makes it pretty easy.

Empire State residents have a few different options regarding a REAL ID.

State residents can obtain an Enhanced Drivers License or State ID, which gives state residents who are US Citizens benefits comparable to having a Passport. Enhanced document holders can use their ID to travel to and from Canada, Mexico, and several Caribbean countries by land or sea. An Enhanced document does not allow for international air travel but does qualify as a REAL ID.

State residents can also get a REAL ID, which meets the federal law requirements but does not have any international travel benefits like an enhanced document.

Overall, the process is pretty simple. Either online or at a local DMV office, you bring in the property documents, and a few minutes later, you leave with your REAL ID or Enhanced ID.

Another option New Yorkers have is to obtain a Passport or Passport Card from the US State Department.

The process of getting a passport is pretty simple: You complete the application and send it in with the proper documents; after a few weeks, your Passport will be mailed to you, along with the documents you sent to the State Department.

To make this process easier, the State Department has been holding special Passport Acceptance Fairs all over the country, where people can drop off their applications and documents in person.

Overall, the best thing to do is to act now so you won't be caught by surprise when you try to take a trip.