WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has announced that starting May 7 it will begin enforcing stricter ID rules at U.S. airports. On May 7, TSA will no longer accept state-issued IDs that are not REAL ID compliant. In 2005, Congress approved tougher standards for ID cards, but the rules were delayed several times.

TSA warned that starting next month, passengers aged 18 or older who do not have a passport or the new enhanced ID could face delays, extra screening, or even be denied access to the security checkpoint. Currently, about 81 percent of travelers have acceptable IDs, such as a REAL ID. For now, the agency will continue to screen travelers without a REAL ID until it no longer sees this as a security risk.

It is not yet clear how strictly TSA will enforce these new rules. U.S. airlines are already concerned about lower demand due to international tariff tensions and economic issues. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also mentioned that these IDs will be needed to enter federal buildings starting May 7.

Back in December 2022, TSA postponed the REAL ID enforcement deadline to May 2025. The original law from 2005 was based on recommendations to improve ID security after the September 11 attacks. Although many Americans travel by plane only a few times a year, under President Joe Biden's policy, TSA said it might give three warnings before telling travelers that they cannot use their current ID for future flights.