Planning your spring and summer vacation? You may want to prepare your documents. In six months, the deadline for REAL IDs is going to hit and without one you won’t be able to get on a plane.

Since May 7, 2025, any traveler over the age of 18 must present a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or an identity card (or a valid passport or passport card) to board a commercial aircraft in the United States. If you don’t have one, you won’t get through the TSA checkpoint.

The good news is that you probably already have one. If you have received a new or renewed Florida driver’s license or ID since January 2010, you are already good to go.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is REAL ID?

Previously, it was easier to get a driver’s license in some states than others. After the 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government establish identification standards, such as driver’s licenses, Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005. The law established minimum safety standards for obtaining a license across the country and barred some federal agencies from accepting anything less.

The Real ID Act took effect nationwide on May 11, 2008. Florida began issuing REAL ID-compliant credentials after January 4, 2010.

REAL ID-compliant credentials are already required to enter checkpoints at federal installations, military installations and nuclear power plants.

How do I know if I have a REAL ID in Florida?

Check your driver’s license or state-issued ID. If there is a gold star at the top right, it is REAL ID compliant.

How do I get a REAL ID in Florida?

If you do not yet have a REAL ID card or your existing ID is not REAL ID compliant and you are not ready to renew before May 7, 2025, or if your name has changed since the last time you got a card, you will need to make an appointment at a local driver’s license service center or tax collector’s office to get a new card. Locations can be found here.

A Class E license can be renewed up to 18 months before the card’s expiration date.

How much does a REAL ID card cost in Florida?

THE fees for an initial Class E license in Florida (including a learner’s permit) costs $48 and a commercial driver’s license (Class A) costs $75. The fee for an ID card is $25. Most local tax collectors’ offices also charge a $6.25 service fee.

What do I need to get a REAL ID card in Florida?

You will need to bring original copies of primary documents proving your identity, legal residency, social security status, and date of birth. You can find the list of documents accepted here.

NOTE: Birth certificates must be issued by a county health department or the CDC Office of Vital Statistics. Hospital birth certificates are not considered a certified document and will not be accepted.

There are different lists of documents for immigrants, non-immigrantsAnd Canadians want a REAL ID card.

How many Floridians already have a REAL ID?

As of December 2023, the Florida REAL ID compliance rate was “over 98%,” according to Molly Best, FDHSMV communications director.

When will REAL ID be implemented?

The Department of Homeland Security began enforcing REAL ID requirements in semi-restricted areas of federal installations, nuclear power plants, and military installations in October 2015.

Beginning May 7, 2025, a REAL ID-compliant ID or a valid passport or passport card will be required for any adult resident of the United States wishing to board a commercial aircraft regulated by the federal government. Initially, the deadline was May 3, 2023, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was set to May 3, 2023. extended by two years.

Has Florida changed driver’s license numbers in 2024?

For many years, the 13 digits on your driver’s license have encoded personal information such as your name, year of birth and gender. However, there was concern that this could lead to identity theft if someone else could deduce your DL number based on your personal information.

A new status passed by the Florida Legislature this year to improve security and prevent fraud, now requires that all distinguishing numbers assigned to a driver’s license or identification card must include at least four randomly generated numbers, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

It came into force on July 31.

Contributor: Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared in the Daytona Beach News-Journal: REAL ID deadline in 6 months. What you need to know in Florida