By Wesley Brown – As the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s REAL ID deadline looms, Arkansas Health Department (ADH) and Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) officials are working hard to assist state residents

 Starting on May 7, every traveler 18 years of age or older must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification (ID) card, a state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel, including a valid U.S. passport and other TSA-approved documents.

In response to increasing demand for birth certificates—an essential document for obtaining a REAL ID—the ADH opened several Local Health Units (LHUs) and its main vital records office this Saturday (April 26) to help expedite the process for Arkansans.

Passed by Congress in 2005 following a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards. During the COVID-10 pandemic in late 2022, Homeland Security officials postponed the original enforcement date for REAL ID from May 3, 2023, to May 7, 2025.

While the TSA prepares for the upcoming May 7 deadline, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) officials in some states are informing motorists and residents that REAL ID is not compulsory but an optional requirement.

Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Finance Administration’s (DFA) Office of Motor Vehicles, said approximately 700,000 Arkansans have a REAL ID while 1.6 million still possess a “regular” license or ID. DFA has issued the REAL ID since October 2016. Today, they can be obtained at any 134 Revenue Offices across the state.

“While some states require all licenses and IDs issued to be in the form of a REAL ID, it remains an option in Arkansas,” Hardin said.

“While we see the word ‘deadline’ associated with May 7, we are making it clear to Arkansans they can obtain a REAL ID anytime, [but] it will be required to board a flight or enter a federal building beginning May 7.”

Patricia Mancha, TSA spokeswoman for the Southwest U.S. region that includes Arkansas, Texas, and five other states, said the agency is working with state DMVs and airport partners to inform travelers to act immediately. The Southwest region includes Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the nation’s third-busiest airport hub, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enplanement data.

Concerning the May 7 deadline and beyond, the TSA urges travelers who don’t have their REAL ID or other acceptable documents to arrive several hours before their flight departs. Mancha noted that the TSA will continue to work with REAL ID-compliant travelers, including those who lost their ID, had their wallet or purse stolen, and those who have not received or renewed their license or ID at the DMV.

“So, if you’re doing that and you don’t have a Real ID, please arrive at the airport at least four hours before your flight, right?” said Mancha. “And then, finally, understand that we can’t guarantee we will complete the process in time for you to make your flight.”

To obtain a birth certificate, individuals must bring a valid driver’s license and be prepared to pay a $12 fee via cash, check, or credit card (the cardholder’s name must match the request).

For more information about ordering Arkansas birth certificates, visit: https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/certificates-records/order-birth-records/