You'll need a Real ID or passport to board domestic flights by May 7, officials say
With the federal Real ID enforcement deadline quickly approaching, authorities are asking Pittsburghers to prepare.
The deadline has been pushed back multiple times because of the pandemic, but now officials say May 7 will be here before you know it.
What do I need a Real ID for?
You will need a Real ID or an alternate form of federally acceptable identification like a valid passport or military ID to board domestic commercial flights and enter military installations and certain federal facilities.
PennDOT Secretary Michael Carroll said if you don't have a passport and you don't have a gold star on your driver's license, you won't be able to get on a flight after May 7 without a Real ID.
Carroll said some people think it's a hassle to go to a PennDOT driver license center to get a Real ID, but with the right documents, the process can be seamless. He said it would be a much bigger headache to show up to board a domestic flight and get turned away because you don't have the right kind of ID.
"You may even be a person that thinks 'I'm never going to fly, I don't have to get it.' I'm here to tell you that day probably will come where you do have to fly. You never know what's going to happen in your family or personal life, and the day may come where you have to board a flight to Minneapolis or Salt Lake City," Carroll said.
Pennsylvania state-issued driver's licenses or IDs will no longer be accepted for travelers flying domestically after enforcement takes effect.
To get a Real ID, bring the required documents to a PennDOT driver's license center. More information about what you need to bring can be found on PennDOT's website.