As of May 7, 2025, all Americans 18 or older, are required to carry a Real United States ID with them when traveling by plane.This includes Enhanced Driver’s License, Green Cards, Military ID’s and other forms of identification. 

Because of this sudden law change many Americans rushed to get real ID’s, furthermore making the DMV’s crowded. Making getting things like permits and or other DMV needs very hard.

“My permit, I had to go to Mount Vernon and then we had to go to Shoreline and I had to go to the Smokey Point one. It’s just really busy because of that situation,” Addison Kinney (9) said.

But why had so many Americans put off this need for identification? 

“Because the process of getting one is really long and you have to pay money for it, which I don’t have,” Cooper Case (11) said. 

The underlying reason being cost and efficiency, the process of getting an ID is a long one, therefore one many people don’t want to wait for.

“I’ve heard it’s really complicated, which is why I didn’t, I was like, I’m not doing that,” Elizabeth Cowling (12) said.

Now with the law in place Americans must have a real ID in order to travel, leaving DMV’s across the country jam packed, and leaving many with regrets of not acting sooner.

“I haven’t needed one. I’m actually just thinking about getting one because I have to go out of the country this summer. But, um I haven’t got gone and I probably should, though.” Cowling said.

 This new law serves to highlight the importance of being adequately prepared and consistently planning in advance.

“I wish I knew more about it, but I’d say, yeah, that’s probably better getting one now,” Cowling said.