Enforcement for the Real ID Act starts on May 7. State issued driver’s licenses and IDs that are not Real ID compliant will no longer be accepted at checkpoints at the airport.

A Real ID in Michigan will have either a gold circle with star design or a Michigan silhouette with star.

The Real ID Act was passed in 2005 as an effort to create a national standard for obtaining an identification card.

You can still convert your ID to a REAL ID after the deadline at a Secretary of State.

When do I need a REAL ID?

• When boarding a domestic flight in the U.S.
• When entering a military base or nuclear power plant
• When visiting certain federal buildings

How Is the REAL ID different from my Enhanced ID?

An Enhanced ID allows for border and sea crossings — for example: you can enter Canada by land or sea, but you cannot fly into the country. You cannot use an Enhanced ID in place of a passport. An Enhanced ID is an acceptable form of identification for domestic flights.

What do I need to get a REAL ID?

Visit a Secretary of State office and bring:

• Your current state-issued ID
• A valid, unexpired U.S. passport, birth certificate, or qualifying immigration document such as an I-551 Permanent Resident Card or foreign passport with a U.S. visa. If you have specific questions about documents that qualify, please contact the Department of State Information Center at (888) SOS-MICH (767-6424)
• A certified legal name-change document, if your name is different from what is on your birth certificate

There’s no added charge for converting to REAL ID if you do so at the time of renewing or replacing your license or ID. Otherwise, there is a correction fee ($9 for license; $10 for ID) to convert to REAL ID.

I don’t have a REAL ID. Can I still fly domestically?

Yes, but expect longer wait times and additional screening at checkpoints.

Other forms of acceptable ID for domestic flights include:

• State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Do I need a REAL ID to vote?

All state-issued identification cards will be accepted at voting polls. Voters who do not have valid state-issued identification or another accepted identity document may sign an Affidavit of Identity.

Can non-US citizens apply for a REAL ID?

If you are a lawfully present non-U.S. citizen, including permanent and non-permanent residents, you are eligible to apply for a REAL ID driver’s license or ID card or turn your current Michigan driver’s license or state ID into a REAL ID. In either case, you’ll need to schedule an office visit at a Michigan Secretary of State branch office and bring the required legal presence document. It’s important to note that some documents already in the possession of non-US citizens qualify as REAL ID and will be acceptable for flying domestically when the law goes into effect on May 7, 2025. These include:  

• Permanent resident card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)