New Haven, CT — Starting Wednesday, Connecticut residents without a REAL ID will no longer be allowed through standard airport security checkpoints with only a traditional state-issued driver’s license.
The change brings a two-decade federal policy into effect nationwide.
“What it’s really going to do is it’s preventing terrorists from gaining access to aircraft. We’re basically making sure that people are who they say they are when they get on an aircraft,” said Dan Velez, New England TSA Spokesperson.
The Transportation Security Administration’s implementation of the REAL ID Act, originally passed in response to the 9/11 attacks, now restricts boarding access to travelers who possess either a REAL ID—marked by a gold star—or a federally accepted alternative such as a passport.
According to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, over 2 million residents in the state already possess a REAL ID. In April alone, 31,000 residents completed the process.
Airports across Connecticut have been posting signs and playing informational videos for months to alert passengers ahead of this week’s deadline.
Still, officials anticipate delays for those arriving unprepared.
“If you don’t have a star, or if you’re unsure if you’re REAL ID compliant, please allow yourself some additional time when you arrive here at the airport to go through security and to make sure that you have all the proper paperwork in place, to travel,” said Tom Cavaliere, Director of Community Engagement at Tweed New Haven Airport.
Travelers without a REAL ID must present one of over a dozen federally recognized alternatives to pass through TSA checkpoints. These include valid passports, permanent resident cards, and military IDs.
Without such documentation, passengers will be subject to secondary screening protocols that could delay security clearance by an hour or more.
To obtain a REAL ID in Connecticut, individuals must schedule an in-person appointment at the DMV, where documentation verifying identity and residency is required. The enhanced license arrives by mail within several weeks.
For those traveling this week, TSA officials recommend verifying identification requirements well in advance and allowing additional time for screening if compliance is uncertain.
