Claire Rowe
Associate Editor
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD 2026
As the long-postponed REAL ID deadline approaches in May 2025, states are scrambling to issue the updated identification cards amid public confusion and operational strain. Despite being marketed as a streamlined security measure, the REAL ID Act continues to spark debate nearly two decades after its passage—raising concerns about federal overreach, inconsistent implementation, and whether the program’s costs outweigh its benefits.
Why the sudden rush? Years of delays have left travelers unprepared
A Real ID is a federally uniform, state-issued driver’s license or identification card designed to meet enhanced security standards. The current scramble stems largely from confusion after years of shifting deadlines. Originally set for 2008, the REAL ID enforcement date has been pushed back multiple times, most recently due to COVID-19 and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) backlogs. Although implementation was supposed to begin in 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delayed enforcement again, citing disruptions caused by appointment-only systems, license extensions, and overloaded state agencies.
In a 2022 statement, DHS insisted the May 7, 2025 deadline would be final. However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed a phased enforcement plan that would begin issuing warnings in 2025 while delaying full enforcement until 2027. If approved, it would mark the fourth official extension. Despite nearly $263 million in federal funding and two decades of preparation, only about 56% of state-issued IDs are currently REAL ID-compliant. With the clock ticking and uncertainty still looming, travelers are now hurrying to get theirs—many for the first time.
The hurdles of getting a REAL ID
The REAL ID documentation requirements are extensive. Applicants must present: (1) Proof of identity and U.S. citizenship or lawful status, (2) an original document with their Social Security number, (3) two hard copy documents verifying state residency, and (4) a document with a verifiable signature.
In practice, the process is far from uniform. Each state manages its own issuing system, and requirements can vary. In Illinois, for instance, REAL IDs are only available at full-service Secretary of State Driver Services facilities—not at express locations. Appointments are mandatory, and walk-ins are not accepted.
While Illinois typically allows online renewals through its Safe Driver Renewal program, this option is unavailable for those seeking a REAL ID. The fee remains $30, the same as a standard license, but the new card retains the same expiration date as the original, offering no added time.
To address demand, Illinois opened the nation’s first REAL ID Super Center in downtown Chicago, capable of processing up to 2,500 applications daily. On one Saturday alone, over 10,000 applications were submitted across the state. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias acknowledged the strain, noting that the last-minute surge is overwhelming systems and affecting routine services like license renewals and vision tests. With strict documentation rules, limited appointment availability, and long wait times, many are asking whether the REAL ID is truly about security—or simply more red tape.
REAL ID: Bureaucracy, politics, and the price of travel
These logistical burdens only intensify public skepticism around the REAL ID. While its $30 cost may seem reasonable, it doesn’t replace a passport and is only valid for domestic travel and access to certain federal buildings. For international travel, a passport—costing up to $165 and often taking months to process—is still required.
Yet the government markets the REAL ID as a more “convenient” option, encouraging people to carry both. Given that the REAL ID offers little beyond what a passport already provides, it seems less like a genuine national security measure and more like an added bureaucratic cost—one that places the burden on the public without offering meaningful benefits.
Nearly 20 years after its passage, the REAL ID Act continues to face delays, resistance, and growing doubts about its purpose. While officially framed as a security measure, critics argue it functions more as political theater—or even a quiet attempt to restrict mobility. Legal immigrants are eligible, but undocumented individuals are excluded, effectively barring them from domestic air travel. Airlines fear reduced customer numbers, and the TSA worries about operational chaos at already-crowded checkpoints.
Even though all 50 states are now authorized to issue REAL IDs, demand remains low. Critics argue the Act exposes deeper government dysfunction: a sweeping federal mandate with inconsistent state-level implementation, limited support, and significant unintended consequences. After nearly two decades of delays, the REAL ID appears less like a meaningful security upgrade and more like bureaucratic overreach packaged as policy.