Photo ID Requirements for Air Travel Within the United States

According to the Transportation Safety Administration, adults 18 and over traveling by air in the United States must show a valid state or federally-issued photo ID before they can pass through the airport checkpoint.

Features

The ID must include name, gender, date of birth, expiration date and a tamper-resistant feature.

Types

The following forms of ID are acceptable: U.S. passport or passport card; driver's license or other state issued form of photo ID that meet REAL ID benchmarks; Department of Homeland Security "trusted traveler" card; U.S. military ID; permanent resident card; border crossing card; DHS-designated enhanced driver's license; Native American Tribal photo ID; a valid airline or airport issued ID; a foreign government issued passport; Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card; or a Transportation Worker Identification Credential.

Warning

Travelers who fail to provide a proper ID will be required to provide information to Transportation Security Officers and may face additional screening.

History

The new ID requirements took effect in June 2008 to bring TSA in line with the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection and REAL ID benchmarks.