TSA and OMV Remind Travelers of Deadline to be REAL ID Ready

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) will hold a press conference on the importance of Louisiana residents becoming REAL ID ready and OMV representatives will be at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport on Tuesday morning to register travelers.

Do you have a star on your Louisiana driver's license? If not, there's still time to get your REAL ID-compliant driver's license with that star on it. But it's better to get it sooner, rather than later. The countdown is on. Beginning May 7, 2025, residents must present a REAL ID or other federally acceptable document to the TSA when flying.

If a traveler's driver's license is not REAL ID-compliant, they will need another form of approved identification, such as a passport to board their flight. The REAL ID driver's license and identification card have a small star in the upper right corner to indicate they meet federal regulations that establish important security standards.

Louisiana residents have the option to upgrade to a REAL ID if their license does not currently have the star or they can stay with an older standard driver's license. However, a standard credential-without the star-will not be valid to board a flight or to gain access to secure federal facilities, including military bases and some federal offices.

To get the REAL ID star after the Tuesday event, individuals will need to visit a Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) field office or Public Tag Agent location to prove U.S. citizenship and Louisiana residency. Visit www.expresslane.org/REALIDfor an interactive REAL ID checklist. And general license information can be found at www.expresslane.org/License

On November 19^th at 10:30 a.m. at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Dan Casey, Commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, and Sari Koshetz, Spokesperson for the TSA, will provide information. In addition to comments from the Commissioner, OMV staff will be at the Baton Rouge airport helping Louisiana residents get REAL ID ready. Residents are encouraged to visit www.expresslane.org/REALID to ensure they have all required documentation to receive a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card. OMV will then mail a physical credential to the address on file. Anyone who wants to receive a physical credential on Tuesday, Nov. 19^th, will be directed to an OMV field office.

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