New REAL ID Options: What It Means In NJ

NEW JERSEY — As the deadline gets closer for New Jersey travelers to have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state identification card, federal officials have set new guidelines for using digital IDs.

Under the REAL ID Act of 2005, travelers will need an updated driver's license, ID card, or provide other documentation before they can board domestic flights, enter nuclear power plants, or access certain federal buildings.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration published amendments to the REAL ID regulations last week, which will allow people to show their mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) at airport security checkpoints. These forms of ID are stored on devices such as smartphones, and can be read electronically at certain checkpoints.

States will be allowed to apply for a waiver from the TSA to accept digital identification cards — as long as they comply with REAL ID security protocols — once enforcement begins on May 7, 2025.

Travelers could have more time to get their REAL IDs sorted out, as officials proposed a different rule that would allow for the requirements to be implemented in phases. That could push the date for full REAL ID enforcement back to May 7, 2027, if the TSA and other federal agencies choose to take this phased approach.

Regardless, the TSA said it is publishing this rule about mobile driver's licenses now, so that states have time to make sure their digital ID systems are compliant with REAL ID fraud protections. More comprehensive mDL requirements are likely to come once federal guidelines are finalized.

Currently, New Jersey airports do not accept digital IDs. State officials can apply for a temporary waiver to do so once the final rule goes into effect on Nov. 25.

Related articles —

• Another Real ID Change Could Be Coming: What To Know In NJ
• REAL ID Deadline Approaching: 5 Things To Know In NJ