Deadline to get a REAL ID is extended for two years

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced an extension for the deadline to get a REAL ID.

You’ll now have until May 7, 2025 to get a Real ID. The original deadline was two years earlier, May 3, 2023. If you don’t have a passport, you’ll need a REAL ID to get on any domestic flight.

The DOH has repeatedly pushed back the enforcement date citing state licensing agencies’ inability to issue new driver’s licenses and ID cards fast enough during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airports will require REAL ID as an extra security measure since they will be more difficult to counterfeit. Monroe County officials held an informational session about REAL IDs in August.