Illinois Folks, Your Driver’s License Won’t Cut It At The Airport Soon

If you plan on boarding a plane in May 2025 or after, that driver's license sitting snuggly inside your wallet or purse will not be enough to get you past airport security.

Before you grab a barf bag and hurl, remember you still have a few months to get what you need.

However, if you're anything like me, you should start planning today because we have slightly less than a year before the REAL ID law officially (finally) takes effect.

HOW DID REAL ID BECOME LAW?

In case you missed the news, REAL ID is an extra and super important piece of security. NBC 5 in Chicago says it was passed by Congress in 2005 and was "based on a recommendation from the 9/11 commission report."

It sounds like the folks in charge want to ensure our safety before we board planes, and apparently, having a REAL ID is the fastest and best way to do that.

HOW TO GET A REAL ID IN ILLINOIS

So, how do you get a shiny REAL ID? You guessed it: go to the DMV and bring all the usual suspects, like your birth certificate, passport, and proof of address, to get a standard state ID.

Keep Reading: Wayfair Set to Open First-Ever Megastore in Illinois This Month

You might have some small paperwork to sign, but you're all set.

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Next, you'll be ready to fly the friendly skies if you ever leave the DMV.

Have you ever flown out of Rockford? Here are the most common destinations from RFD. See below.