TSA Explains What Montanans Need to Know About Real ID

The enforcement of the REAL ID program is here. If you think we have been talking about this for a long time, you are right. The "Real ID Act" was passed in 2005, so this has been a discussion for twenty years.

It's finally here, and the TSA says they are ready. The big question is, are you? I had the opportunity to speak with Lori Dankers, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration, about what Montana travelers can expect.

That means that when travelers come to the security checkpoint, they're required to show a REAL ID compliant driver's license or another form of ID that TSA accepts, such as a passport, the passport card, the list is quite long. It's available on our website at TSA.gov. For those travelers who do not have the REAL ID-compliant drivers license or state photo ID card, or that other form of ID, they need to arrive early because they can expect delays and additional screenings. 

If you have an acceptable form of ID and are ready for your travels, there shouldn't be an issue according to Dankers.

Those who are ready for enforcement, they're going to make it through just like nothing has changed, and that's our promise to those who are ready for REAL ID enforcement.

If travelers don't have an approved form of ID, they can expect the process to take extra time for the TSA to verify the traveler's identity.

That's the policy today. We have a process by which we work with people. Let's say they've lost their wallet or you know something happened, and they don't have their ID. You know, we can work with them. But if we can't verify someone's identity, they're not allowed through the security checkpoint.

According to Dankers, 81% of U.S. travelers are ready for the enforcement to begin. In Montana, the numbers may not be as high. A recent poll from High Risk Pay, reports that 57.8% of Montanans don't have a Real ID. That doesn't mean you won't be able to fly, you will need a different way to prove your identity. For a list of the approved identifications you can visit the TSA.gov website.

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Wednesdays normally aren't a busy travel day, that is one of the reasons why the enforcement will begin on that day. Even with it being a slow travel day Dankers says that there will be uniformed and non-uniformed TSA employees working to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.