Missouri REAL ID: What You Need to Know
If you want to use your driver’s license to board a domestic flight after May 7, 2025, you’ll have to make sure it’s REAL ID-compliant.
Written by Brittni Brinn
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Table of Contents
Starting on May 7, 2025, you’ll only be able to use your
Missouri driver’s license
to board a domestic flight if it complies with REAL ID standards. What is REAL ID?
In 2005, the U.S. Congress passed the
REAL ID Act
to create new standards for ID documents including driver’s licenses. The act is set to be enforced in 2025, including in Missouri
. Who needs a REAL ID?
Starting on May 7, 2025, a REAL ID will be mandatory for:
- Entering a nuclear power plant
- Accessing some federal facilities
- Taking a federally-regulated commercial aircraft—domestic flights included
Unless you’re part of the small percentage of people who work at a federal facility or a nuclear power plant, those first two restrictions will probably not affect you. But if you’re planning to take a domestic flight, you’ll need to upgrade to a REAL ID-compliant license by 2025 to get past TSA checkpoints.
You can still use other identifying documents to get on your plane, even if you don’t have a REAL ID-compliant license by May 2023. A full list of acceptable IDs is available through the
TSA website
. Key Takeaway The REAL ID Act is set to take effect in 2025. Make sure your driver’s license is REAL ID-compliant if you want to use it as identification to board a domestic flight.
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How to get a Missouri REAL ID
To get a REAL ID in Missouri, you’ll need to visit a license office. You should inform the person assisting you right away that you wish to apply for a REAL ID-compliant card. Make sure you bring the following documents:
- Proof of identity: One legal document to verify your full name and date of birth
- Document showing your Lawful Status in the United States
- One document to verify your Social Security Number
If you wish to update the name that appears on your license, you’ll need to bring a document to prove that your name has legally been changed.
A full list of acceptable documents can be found
here
. Processing and mailing your new REAL ID-compliant license can take from 10 to 15 days.Depending on which class of license you have, you’ll have to pay anywhere from $7 to $52. Even if you get the fee waived for it being your first REAL ID, you’ll still have to pay between $6 and $12 to cover office processing costs. You can find the full fee list
here
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Reviewed on 5/28/2023
FAQ
Do I need a REAL ID in Missouri?
The
Department of Homeland Security’s website
is a great place to check if you need a REAL ID. To use your driver’s license to board domestic flights after May 3, 2023, you’ll need it to be REAL ID-compliant.
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