Mainers could have a difficult time boarding airplanes a year from now.
It’s because only 1 in 10 residents has a license or ID that’s Real ID compliant, according to the Maine Secretary of State’s Office. The Real ID Act was passed at the federal level to address national security concerns after 9/11.
According to the Bangor Daily News, after May 3rd of 2023, the federal government will stop accepting licenses or IDs that are not Real ID compliant for boarding domestic flights.
A bill was approved in the Maine Legislature in 2017 that reversed a prohibition on implementing Real ID that was put into effect ten years prior.
The implementation date for Real ID nationwide has been pushed back several times. It was last set for 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic.
