Do you have a star on your New York driver’s license?
If not, there’s still time to get your REAL ID-compliant driver’s license with that star on it.
But it’s better to get it sooner rather than later.
Don’t wait another day to apply. New Yorkers will need a REAL ID to board an airplane beginning in May 7, 2025.
All Department of Motor Vehicle offices in Suffolk County provide the REAL ID pre-screening service.
New York residents who want to board an airplane for a domestic flight will soon need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license.
If their driver’s license is not REAL ID-compliant, they will need another approved form of identification, such as a passport to board their flight or enter a secure federal facility or military base.
The REAL ID driver’s license and enhanced license have a small star or flag on them to indicate they meet federal regulations that establish minimum-security standards.
Make an appointment through any Suffolk County DMV to get your REAL ID. Click here to find the location closest to your home.
You will need to bring specific documents to prove U.S. citizenship and New York residency. Required documents include one proof of identity (passport or U.S. birth certificate), proof of legal presence for non-U.S. citizens, two proofs of New York residency, your social security card (if you’ve been issued one) and a current driver’s license if you are applying to exchange one issued by another U.S. state.
New York residents have the option to upgrade to a REAL ID or an enhanced ID if their license does not currently have the star or they can stick with an older standard driver’s license. However, a standard credential—without the star—will not be valid to board a domestic flight or to access secure federal facilities, including military bases and some federal offices.
Transportation Security Administration officers who staff the ticket document checking station at airports will not allow travelers into the checkpoint without a REAL ID-compliant license or another acceptable form of identification after May 7, 2025.