Don't 'get turned away!' It’s the last holiday travel season before REAL ID requirement goes into effect

MILWAUKEE -- In 2020, holiday air travelers will face new identification requirements to board their flights. When enforcement of the REAL ID Act begins Oct. 1, 2020, the regular Wisconsin driver's license or ID will no longer be acceptable identification for domestic air travel, or to enter a federal building or military base.

Travelers will need to present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state ID card or another acceptable form of identification (such as a passport).

“Thanksgiving and holiday travel is hectic enough," said Kristina Boardman, Wisconsin DMV administrator in a news release. "This time next year, air travelers will need to show a REAL ID -- such as a driver's license or ID with the REAL ID star -- or they will get turned away at the TSA checkpoint. Wisconsin DMV has tools to help make getting the designation on your driver's license or ID easy."

You should start online, by CLICKING HERE. The first step is preparing your paperwork. Then, you're encouraged to make an appointment at the DMV to reduce the time spent waiting in line.

What documents are required to get a REAL ID?

To obtain a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID card, individuals must visit a Wisconsin DMV and bring the following original documents or a certified copy (not a photocopy, fax or scan):


    CLICK HERE for a complete list of acceptable documents.

    CLICK HERE to access the DMV’s interactive Driver Licensing Guide -- where you can develop a personalized checklist of the required documents needed to bring to the DMV.

    Costs to get a REAL ID

    If it’s time to renew a driver's license or ID, DMV customers can receive a REAL ID-compliant card for no additional fee if the upgrade takes place at the same time as the renewal. Customers whose current driver's license or ID will not expire before 2020, may obtain a REAL ID-compliant card for $14 (the cost of a duplicate driver license), or $16 for a duplicate ID card.

    Wisconsin offers both REAL ID-compliant and non-compliant driver's licenses and ID cards. The cards look similar. REAL ID-compliant cards are marked with a µ. Non-compliant cards don’t have the star or are marked “NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES.”  People may use other forms of ID, such as a passport. TSA offers a list of acceptable alternative identification cards.

    Wisconsin DMV has been offering REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses and IDs to customers since Jan. 14, 2013. Since this time, nearly every Wisconsin customer has been given REAL ID information, and the opportunity to enroll in the federal program, as a part of their renewal notice.