Can you fly without a Real ID? Tips for Kansans as May 7 deadline nears
Imagine you’re ready to go to the airport — bags packed, water bottles emptied — and you realize you are missing the required ID card to board the plane. This nightmare scenario could come true in Kansas as soon as May 7.
After 20 years of extended deadlines, 350,000 Kansans still don’t have a Real ID driver’s license, which they’ll soon need to fly in the United States. More than half of Missourians don’t have theirs.
Beginning May 7, Real IDs, passports or other forms of federal documentation will be required to fly in the U.S. and enter certain government facilities, like federal courthouses and military bases. However, people can use non-Real ID cards to drive, buy alcohol and vote.
Originally instituted as a response to 9/11, these new IDs can be identified by the gold star in the top right corner. Kansas has been issuing Real IDs since 2017, so many people already have them.
Zach Denney, spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Revenue, shared everything you should know about Real ID.
How many people have gotten Real IDs in Kansas?
About 85% of Kansas’ drivers licenses are Real ID compliant, according to Denney, who said that approximately 350,000 Kansans declined Real ID when they renewed their license.
Kansas has a significantly higher percentage of Real IDs than Missouri, where 45% of people with Missouri driver’s licenses had started the process of getting a Real ID card as of mid-April, according to a state spokesperson.
Denney said the Sunflower State has been heavily promoting the enhanced identification for years.
“I think it’s likely that a majority of those who do not have a Real ID-compliant credential at this point simply do not want one,” Denney wrote.
In January the Department of Homeland Security predicted that 61% to 66% of IDs would be compliant by May, but Real ID adoption varies by state.
Almost all drivers in Florida and Maryland have Real IDs, because the enhanced IDs are the only option when renewing licenses. But percentages are lower in states where residents had to opt in for Real IDs, which require one more proof of residency and tend to be more expensive.
In Massachusetts, 57% of drivers opted for a Real ID compliant as of April 8, a state spokesperson told USA Today.
What happens if you arrive at the airport without a Real ID?
If you do not go to the airport with a Real ID, passport or another acceptable piece of identification after May 7, the Department of Homeland Security says you “can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.”
The Transportation Security Administration states that fliers without acceptable identification will need to undergo additional security procedures.
In this case, the TSA would verify the traveler’s identity by collecting information like their name and current address. The individual might then be subject to additional screening.
These ID requirements apply to everyone age 18 or older, including individuals with TSA PreCheck. People whose identity cannot be confirmed or who refuse to complete the additional screening will not be able to pass through airport security, according to the TSA.
How can I get a Real ID in Kansas?
First, check to see if your license is already a Real ID. Look for the gold star in the top right corner which is a hallmark of the Real ID, or look up your information in the Kansas driver’s license status check.
If you want to apply for a Real ID, go online to schedule a DMV appointment. While you can complete some Kansas DMV functions online, first-time Real ID applicants have to go in person.
You can get a Real ID even if your license is not expired. It costs $8 to upgrade an existing license to Real ID in Kansas. If you need to renew your old license, getting a Kansas Real ID costs the same as getting a non-Real ID license.
Missouri’s requirements are similar.
What are Kansas’ requirements for a Real ID?
You should bring these documents to your local DMV location to get your Real ID issued. You must bring original or certified copies of the documents — electronic, photocopied or notarized copies are not accepted:
A certified U.S. birth certificate, up-to-date passport, resident card, employment authorization card, naturalization certificate or consular report of birth abroad.
Proof of your Social Security number — which can be your Social Security card, tax forms or any formal documentation with the number present.
Two proofs of your address in the last year, like a lease agreement or a utility bill.
Additionally, if you have changed your name since any of the documents above were issued, you have to provide proof of a legal name change — like a certified marriage license or other certified name change documents.
What is different about Real IDs?
Applying for a Real ID requires only one more document than applying for a non-Real ID card — two proofs of residence instead of one.
The 2005 Real ID law standardized identification cards across the country. Before, each state could choose the requirements for issuing identification and what they looked like.
Have more questions about government services in Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM.
