REAL ID

noun

variants or less commonly Real ID

plural REAL IDs also Real IDs

: an identification card or driver's license issued by a U.S. state government in compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that is needed for access to certain federal facilities and for domestic air travel and that requires for issuance the presentation of certain minimum documentation (such as documents proving a person's legal name, date of birth, principal residence, and proof of lawful status in the U.S.)

Examples of REAL ID in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Megan Varner / Getty Images Due to recent regulations, all passengers 18 years old and older must have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or other identification to get through security checkpoints. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 26 June 2026

Passengers entering the checkpoint line should have their REAL ID compliant identification in hand. — Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2026

Her application in 2024 for a REAL ID, which requires more serious verification of identity, is when authorities caught on to her scams, according to court documents. — Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act, is still being voted on, but if passed, your driver's license with REAL ID would not be an acceptable form of identification to register to vote. — Katie Wiseman, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2005, in the meaning defined above