MILWAUKEE– Starting May 7, 2025, travelers across Wisconsin and nationwide will need to meet new federal ID requirements if they plan to fly within the U.S. or enter certain federal buildings.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in coordination with Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will begin enforcing the REAL ID Act — a federal law that raises the standard for state-issued identification.
The biggest change is requiring a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID — or another approved document like a passport — to board domestic flights or access federal facilities. If your current license or ID has a star in the top right corner, you’re likely already set. Otherwise, you’ll need to update your identification before May 7 deadline.
“So ​the ​best ​and ​most ​important ​thing ​customers ​in ​our ​state ​should ​do ​is ​visit ​our ​website: ​WisconsinDOT.gov” says Administrator for the Department of Motor Vehicles Tommy Winkler, which contains a link to the ​Driver ​License ​and ​Identification ​Card ​Guide.Â
The page contains an interactive guide for the documentation needed to obtain a REAL ID.
​”​It ​also ​allows ​customers ​to ​pre ​fill ​out ​their ​application ​prior ​to ​their ​visit. ​And ​you ​can ​even ​schedule ​an ​appointment ​for ​service ​at ​a ​DMV ​Customer ​Service ​Center,” says Winkler. “​By ​using ​that ​DLID ​guide ​and ​making ​that ​appointment ​for ​service, ​you ​will ​make ​your ​trip ​successful ​and ​fast”.Â
​For the documentation needed, applicants should ​provide “​original ​or ​certified ​copies ​of ​documents ​that ​provide ​proof ​of ​name ​and ​date ​of ​birth ​and ​legal ​presence”, which can include ​a ​certified ​copy ​of ​one’s ​birth ​certificate ​or ​a ​valid ​U.S. passport.Â
​Winkler says, “you’ll ​also ​need ​to ​provide ​proof ​of ​identity, ​which ​for ​many ​that’ll ​just ​be ​the ​existing ​driver ​license ​or ​ID ​card ​that ​you ​have. ​You’ll ​also ​need ​to ​provide ​proof ​of ​two ​forms ​of ​address.”
Wisconsin ​began ​issuing ​REAL ​ID ​compliant ​driver ​licenses ​and ​IDs ​back ​in ​January ​of ​2013. To date, nearly ​64% ​of ​all ​validation ​driver ​license ​and ​ID ​cards ​in ​Wisconsin ​are ​REAL ​ID ​compliant, amounting to over ​3.1 ​million ​driver ​license ​and ​ID ​cards. ​
Paper copies of one’s ID or license are no longer accepted when boarding a plane.
Wisconsin TSA Federal ​Security ​Director Mark Lendvay says, “in the State ​of ​Wisconsin, ​when ​you ​renew ​your ​driver’s ​license, ​issues ​a ​paper ​​document, ​which ​is ​good ​for ​approximately ​30 ​days,” making the paper document unacceptable by airline ticket checkers.
 “​So ​if ​you’re ​getting ​the ​ID ​replaced ​and ​for ​instance ​you’re ​doing ​it ​online, ​we ​suggest ​if ​you’re ​able ​to ​retain ​the ​old ​driver’s ​license ​because ​we ​will ​still ​accept ​that ​at ​our ​nation’s ​airports. ​So ​again, ​the ​paper ​tickets ​that ​you’re ​getting ​or ​license ​would ​not ​be ​acceptable. ​And ​then ​for ​trusted ​traveler, ​our ​precheck ​population, ​which ​is ​at ​20 ​million ​right ​now, ​those ​individuals ​are ​not ​issued ​a ​government ​ID. ​And ​a ​lot ​of ​those ​individuals ​may ​not ​have ​REAL ID. ​So ​although ​you’re ​a ​trusted ​traveler, ​you’re ​still ​going ​to ​be ​required ​to ​have ​the ​real ​ID ​on ​the ​day ​of ​travel: ​May ​7.”
