How do I tell if my license or ID card is REAL ID compliant?
Most Colorado driver licenses and identification cards have been REAL ID compliant since 2012. However, some credentials such as CO-RCSA driver licenses and identification cards, don't have a gold or black star and are not REAL ID compliant.
New enforcement date for REAL ID now May 7, 2025
- What do I do if my license/ID isn't REAL ID compliant?
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If you do not have a CO-RCSA driver license or ID card, then you may want to renew or replace your credential. CO-RCSA driver licenses and IDs are for undocumented or temporarily legal immigrants and have a black banner which reads "NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, VOTING, OR PUBLIC BENEFIT PURPOSES."
- Do I have to get a REAL ID compliant credential?
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No, but please note that all Colorado driver licenses and ID cards, except CO-RCSA credentials, have been REAL ID compliant since 2012. Having a REAL ID compliant credential will likely make traveling easier for you. Starting Oct. 1, 2020, your non-compliant credential cannot be used to board flights or enter certain federal facilities, including military bases, nuclear facilities and some federal offices.
- How do I fly commercially if I don't have or don't qualify for a REAL ID compliant credential?
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Travelers who do not have a REAL ID may use another form of acceptable documentation, such as a valid passport or military ID.
- REAL ID background information
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Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act complies with the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the federal government set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver licenses. The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies from accepting licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards for official purposes, such as at airport security checkpoints. The regulations established the deadline of October 1, 2020, to ensure full enforcement of the REAL ID Act. States have made considerable progress in meeting this key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. For more information on REAL ID, visit the Department of Homeland Security's website.