What is ID? | ID Full Form | ID Term

The Real ID Act of 2005 (stylized as REAL ID Act of 2005) is an Act of Congress that establishes requirements that driver licenses and identification cards issued by U.S. states and territories must satisfy to be accepted for accessing federal government facilities, nuclear power plants, and for boarding airline flights in the United States. The requirements include verification of the personal information presented when applying for the identification document, security features on the document, and electronic sharing of databases between states. The act also made various modifications to U.S. immigration law regarding asylum, border security, deportation, and specific work visas.
Enacted in response to the September 11 attacks, the provisions regarding identification documents were originally intended to take effect in 2008, but enforcement was repeatedly delayed due to widespread opposition and refusal by many state governments to implement them. Eventually states began to comply in 2012, and enforcement began in 2014 for certain federal facilities. After numerous extensions, by 2020, all states were certified as compliant, and by 2024, all territories were certified. As of 2024, the implementation’s final and most significant phase, regarding identification documents accepted for boarding flights, was scheduled for May 7, 2025, with a proposed delay of enforcement to May 5, 2027.