West Virginia residents who want to board an airplane for a domestic flight will soon need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license. If their driver’s license is not REAL ID-compliant, they will need another form of approved identification, such as a passport, to board their flight or enter a secure federal facility or military base. The REAL ID driver’s license has a small gold star on it to indicate that it meets federal regulations that establish minimum security standards.
Lisa Ferbstein of the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday at a press conference at West Virginia International Yeager Airport, “While May might seem like a long way off, it is only 70 days away, so we want to encourage people to go to their local DMV and ask for a REAL ID license.”
To get the REAL ID compliant license, individuals will need to visit their local DMV office in person and bring certain documents to prove U.S. citizenship and West Virginia residency. Or they can go online to the DMV REAL ID HeadStart page or use the WV DMVEZ app to upload documents to speed the licensing process. Required documents include one proof of identity (passport or U.S. birth certificate), proof of legal presence for non-U.S. citizens, two proofs of West Virginia residency, your social security card (if you’ve been issued one) and a current driver’s license if you are applying to exchange one issued by another U.S. state.
“If you do not have a REAL ID, please do not wait until the last minute as we do expect an influx of people trying to obtain that,” said Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Everett Frazier.
Transportation Security Administration officers who staff the ticket document checking station at airports will be checking for a REAL ID-compliant license or another form of acceptable ID after May 7, 2025, because of a federal law (The REAL ID Act of 2005) that mandates that a REAL ID is needed for federal identification purposes. TSA may phase in implementation starting on May 7, 2025, and if so, TSA will post those details on its web site.
Travelers will notice signs at airports nationwide to remind people that REAL ID-compliant licenses or other acceptable forms of ID, such as a valid passport, will be mandatory for air travel beginning on May 7, 2025.
For more information and details about how to obtain a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card in West Virginia visit https://transportation.wv.gov/DMV/Pages/default.aspx.
