In California, around 17 million of the state’s 39 million residents — about 43% — were considered REAL ID cardholders at the start of this year.

Starting May 7, 2025, fliers will not be able to fly commercial flights without a REAL ID or another form of identification accepted by TSA like a U.S. passport or military ID.

  DHS also said in the letter that California DMV will provide quarterly reports beginning Aug. 1 on the state's Real ID application process.

Updated: Apr 27, 2025 / 05:10 PM PDT (FOX40.COM) — California residents are flocking to their nearest Department of Motor Vehicles to get a REAL ID as the deadline quickly approaches.

Monday is the first day California is issuing federal real ID cards. Beginning October 1, 2020, driver's licenses and identification cards will need to be "Real ID-compliant" for anyone boarding a ...

Real ID, the federally compliant driver’s license that can be used as identification for getting on a plane starting in October 2020, became available Jan. 22, 2018 in California.

“California could lose nearly $5 million a day if travelers don’t comply with Real ID requirements,” she said. The prospect of a return to hours-long wait times has many state officials worried.