AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) – If you don’t have a gold star on your state-issued ID or driver’s license, it won’t be valid as a form of identification when you travel by air after October 2020.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport issued a reminder Wednesday for travelers to update their state-issued ID or driver’s license to comply with the 2005 REAL ID act, which created minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. You can read more about the REAL ID act on the Transportation Security Administration website.
“On a Texas license, the REAL ID star is gold in color and appears in the upper right hand corner above the expiration date,” officials wrote. You can find out if your ID is compliant and apply for a new Texas state ID or driver’s license on the Department of Public Security website.
Beginning in October 2020, travelers over the age of 18 will need to have identification that is compliant with the legislation. If you don’t update your ID, you can also use other forms of identification that are approved by TSA:
- Passport
- Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler card
- U.S. Department of Defense ID
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card
- Permanent Resident Card
- View all accepted forms of identification here
Along with non-compliant state IDs, temporary driver’s licenses and weapons permits will NOT be accepted at TSA checkpoints.
Once the changes go into effect on October 1, 2020, travelers who cannot prove who they are with one of the acceptable forms of identification, will not be allowed through TSA checkpoints. Children under the age of 18 will not be subject to this scrutiny if they’re traveling with an adult.
(Information from KXAN.com)