Question: I hear they’re postponing REAL ID again. Is that true? If not, please remind me of the documents required.

Answer: Not quite. The federal rule finalized this month keeps May 7 as the enforcement start date but gives federal agencies flexibility to reach full enforcement no later than May 5, 2027. Many federal agencies are expected to adopt full enforcement on May 7, the rule says, while agencies that want to phase-in enforcement must coordinate their tailored plans with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Either way, agencies will inform the public, it says.

We received one such notice last week, from the federal court system in Hawaii, which said, “U.S. District Court requires REAL ID as of May 7, 2025. Beginning May 7, 2025, only federal compliant REAL ID driver’s licenses and state ID cards will be accepted to get on a domestic airline flight and to enter certain federal buildings (to include the U.S. District Court) and military bases. A United States Passport or military ID can be used as an alternate identification for these purposes. Go here for more information, www8.honolulu.gov/csd/real-id Opens in a new tab.”

The link directs to Hono­lulu’s Department of Customer Services, where you can find a checklist of acceptable documents to prove your name, date of birth, legal U.S. presence and principal Hawaii address so that you can obtain a federally compliant (“gold star”) Hawaii driver’s license or state ID. There also are links to the application and to the AlohaQ Opens in a new tab reservation system, where you can make an appointment to apply for the credential, known as a REAL ID.

The U.S. REAL ID Act, approved in 2005 in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which saw al-Qaida terrorists hijack commercial jets and crash them into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, established security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards that federal agencies can accept for the purposes of boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft, accessing certain federal facilities and entering nuclear power plants.

Full enforcement has been postponed repeatedly. The final rule published Jan. 14 in the Federal Register (808ne.ws/3EgKwVm Opens in a new tab) says that although many Americans have yet to obtain a REAL ID, another postponement was not warranted. The rule said it’s better to move ahead with flexibility, to encourage people to get the credential while protecting federal agencies that risk being overwhelmed by members of the public lacking proper ID, by giving those agencies two more years to fully enforce the requirements.

“For many agencies, DHS anticipates that the increased security provided by card-based enforcement weighs in favor of an immediate transition to full enforcement. However, in certain contexts, an immediate transition to full enforcement may result in security vulnerabilities. For example, no longer accepting noncompliant DL/IDs may lead to long lines and crowding at access points to Federal facilities or airport security checkpoints, creating soft targets for terrorists or violent extremists. Additionally, an atmosphere of confusion and frustrated individuals who are denied access risks distracting security personnel from correctly executing their procedures. Agencies should take a holistic approach in evaluating the security implications of transitioning to full enforcement,” the rule says.

DL/IDs stands for driver’s licenses and identification cards.

The Transportation Security Administration, which runs the passenger security checkpoints at U.S. airports, said it would begin enforcement May 7 as required and provide any updates about its use of phased enforcement authority on TSA.gov Opens in a new tab.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.