With a looming deadline of May 7, there’s a “huge uptick” in REAL ID applications at a license bureau in south-central Minnesota, said one license center administrator.

As of May 7, a REAL ID will be required to board domestic flights throughout the U.S. and to gain access to federal facilities such as military bases, federal courthouses or TSA security checkpoints.

“Most people are getting it for flying though,” said Dani Ongie, auditor/treasurer for Le Sueur County. “We answer more questions about the flying component.”

Suzanne Jensen, license center administrator for Blue Earth County, said her center is busy with REAL ID applications. The turn-around time there is about six weeks, she said.

For folks with flying trips planned for May, they should get into their license bureau in early March, Jensen said, to apply for their REAL ID.

Many people come into her license center and discover they already have a REAL ID that they got years ago and forgot about. A REAL ID has a gold star in the right corner.

“A REAL ID is a government-issued document that will allow you to board an airplane for domestic travel and it’ll get you into federal facilities,” Jensen said.

The cost of a REAL ID is the same as a driver’s license, said Jaci Kopet, property and public services director with Nicollet County. That’s $46.

REAL ID deadlines started before COVID, she said. May 7 is the third deadline.

“There’s a huge uptick right now,” Jensen said. “They know we’re only months away and if they want to travel they need it.”

“We’ve been steady with REAL ID applications,” Ongie said. “It’s picked up a little bit.”

“We’ve been issuing REAL IDs for a few years now,” Kopet said. “Yes, we are getting them and as we get closer to the deadline, more and more people are wondering what they need to do to get it.”

Before going to apply for your new ID, experts advise checking out a state website — drive.mn.gov — to determine which documents you need to apply.

You can also board domestic flights with a passport, passport card or an enhanced ID.

___

© 2025 The Free Press 

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC