If you aren’t sure whether your driver’s license or state ID has a gold star in a circle, you might want to double- check your wallet before heading to the airport.
Wednesday was the first day that all travelers flying domestically — including inter island — are required to show a REAL ID-compliant credential or another federally accepted form of identification, like a passport or military ID, to get through airport security. The Transportation Security Administration officially began enforcing the REAL ID Act, a federal law passed in 2005 to tighten ID standards after the 9/11 attacks.
In Hawaii, most travelers are already set. According to state Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen, about 96% of all driver’s licenses and state IDs issued here are compliant.
“The great thing is, with REAL ID starting up today, the requirements, TSA has been drilling for the past week or so to ensure that if they run into different scenarios, they’re ready for the situations,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Wednesday
Sniffen said by midday, 307 travelers had arrived at Hawaii airports without REAL ID-compliant IDs. Of those, only three were denied boarding — and not because of the REAL ID rule.
“The three that were denied access weren’t because their IDs were not REAL ID compliant. They came in with no ID at all,” he said.
The rest — 304 people — were routed to secondary screening, a backup process that TSA has been rehearsing ahead of the enforcement deadline. Most were cleared in five to 10 minutes.
While the rollout appeared largely seamless, Sniffen warned travelers to arrive early if they’re unsure about their ID status or traveling with guests who may not be compliant. He also noted that most of the issues could come from visitors from other states, not local residents.
Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokesperson, said travelers without compliant IDs will be allowed to fly after undergoing screening, but they’ll be given a flyer explaining the new requirements and may be pulled aside.
“You’re going to receive a flyer and you may receive additional screening. It’s an unpredictable screening measure that passengers might be subjected to, but you are going to be allowed to fly,” she said.
Valid alternatives to a REAL ID include U.S. passports, military IDs — including those issued to dependents — Global Entry cards and foreign government-issued passports. Dankers encouraged travelers to review TSA’s ID list in advance.
At Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Wednesday, many travelers reported no issues.
Ivan Kuancer, who was traveling from Hilo to Honolulu to visit family, said he received his REAL ID when he renewed his license a couple of years ago.
He described his travel experience as smooth and said he didn’t notice anyone around him having trouble at security.
Kuancer supports the initiative for safety reasons, though he acknowledged it could cause some delays. Still, he said he wasn’t too worried.
Others traveling through Honolulu had mixed feelings.
Jennifer, a military traveler from Orange County, Calif., said she opted not to get a REAL ID, relying instead on her military ID when passing through airports.
“I chose not to get it … I am in the military, so I chose to maintain just my military identification as a process of going in and out of the airports. For me, it was like a hassle to get the REAL ID,” she said.
She and her friend Samantha Perez were connecting in Honolulu on their way to Kona.
While Perez also described her own travel as smooth — she carries a passport — she expressed concern after witnessing an older woman in a wheelchair being pulled aside at security.
“There should be an exception,” Perez said. “She was in a wheelchair. Anybody who may have a disability has to go all the way to the DMV. You don’t always have a ride, you don’t always have the resources, the financial ability. It looks like it’s hard enough on them as it is. It’s not great.”
Perez said she had never flown domestically using her passport until this trip and worried about misplacing it.
“I have a passport, but not everybody’s as fortunate to be able to afford a passport,” she said. “Getting a new license in California can also be expensive and unaffordable for some people.”
The federal law has been in the works for nearly 20 years, with multiple deadline extensions.
Hawaii began issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses in 2018. With enforcement now underway, both federal and state officials say they’ll continue educating the public, but travelers should expect the policy to remain in effect going forward.
Sniffen said Hawaii’s DMV offices have done well preparing the public in advance. With only about 30,000 out of a million licensed drivers statewide still needing a REAL ID, he doesn’t expect long lines at licensing centers — at least, not yet.
Travelers are advised to check their IDs for the star in a circle indicating REAL ID compliance and to plan accordingly to ensure a smooth travel experience.
ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION
Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.
>> REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent). If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state department of motor vehicles. A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
>> State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
>> U.S. passport
>> U.S. passport card
>> DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
>> U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
>> Permanent resident card
>> Border crossing card
>> An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
>> HSPD-12 PIV card
>> Foreign government- issued passport
>> Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
>> Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
>> U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
>> U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
>> Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
