REAL ID and TSA at MSP Airport: What to expect

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - REAL IDs are now required to board domestic flights. Here's what the situation was like going through TSA at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday morning.

Federal officials have said people 18 and older who don't have a REAL ID or compliant ID will still be able to board a domestic flight on Wednesday. However, they may just be subject to more screening, which could take more time to get through security.

Flying at MSP Airport on first day of REAL ID enforcement

REAL ID enforcement begins: The latest at MSP Airport

REAL IDs are now required to board domestic flights. Here's what the situation was like going through TSA at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday morning.

Live updates:

11 a.m. - less than 5 minute wait time at TSA

According to MSP Airport's website, the wait time at all security checkpoints at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 was fewer than 5 minutes at 11:20 a.m.

9:45 a.m. - Short wait times continue

According to MSP Airport's website, the wait time at all security checkpoints at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 was fewer than 5 minutes at 9:45 a.m.

8 a.m. - Short wait times at TSA

According to MSP Airport's website, the wait time at all security checkpoints at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 was fewer than 5 minutes at 8 a.m.

6 a.m. - security going smoothly without REAL ID

REAL ID takes effect. What it's like at MSP Airport.

REAL IDs are now required to board domestic flights. So what's the situation like going through TSA at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport?

Kyle Potter, editor with Thrifty Traveler, tested out the first day of REAL ID enforcement at MSP Airport on Wednesday morning, around 6 a.m. He posted on social media and spoke with FOX 9, saying he's a bit surprised with how it went.

There were no signs of backups, with Potter noting there were signs warning a REAL ID would be required starting Wednesday.

Potter tested how long it would take to get through TSA without a REAL ID. He said he got through security in 4 minutes and received a stern reminder and a flier about needing a REAL ID to travel.

What is a Real ID?

Signs are posted at MSP Airport reminding travelers a REAL ID-compliant license is required to board domestic flights. (FOX 9)

Why you should care:

A REAL ID is a seal on all state-issued identification documents.

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 and was enacted following the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses," according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.

All states, Washington, D.C., and the five territories are REAL ID compliant, and they are issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and IDs. Moreover, travelers who don’t show a REAL ID-compliant license or suitable ID option can’t go through a security checkpoint.

The types of ID cards issued differ from state to state. After May 7, in Minnesota, people will still be able to apply for three types of driver’s licenses: the standard, REAL ID or enhanced – depending on access needs.

Also, Minnesota DVS said if you are starting the REAL ID application process, check with the local exam office you plan to visit. Some are privately run, and operating times and procedures may vary. Also, if you start the pre-application process online, make sure the documents you submit exactly match the documents you bring with you into a physical office.

Traveling soon? What you need to know

Real ID deadline is here: What to know

Travelers flying on domestic U.S. flights, or entering some federal buildings, need to have a Real ID starting on May 7. FOX 9’s Bill Keller has more on what you need to know.

What they're saying:

TSA said it is working closely with airports and airline partners as the REAL ID requirements go into effect. They recommend building in some extra time if you are heading to an airport soon.

"We expect there will be people who for whatever reason were not able to secure a REAL ID in time and are at the checkpoint. Those people, again, I think they can face delays, and they might face extra screening," said Jessica Mayle, regional spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

TSA said if you do not have a REAL ID there are about a dozen other acceptable forms of identification, and said a passport and passport card are the most common.

Some other things to know about REAL ID enforcement beginning, according to TSA:

Children under 18 do not need a REAL ID if they are flying domestically.
Acceptable forms of ID include a passport or passport card. A REAL ID does not replace your passport if you are flying internationally.
Any paper receipt given to you by a DMV does not count as a REAL ID. If your DMV returned your non-REAL ID license, it would be helpful to bring that and your receipt with you for any additional screening you may need to undergo.
If you have a non-compliant state ID or driver’s license and do not have another acceptable form of ID, you'll be notified of your noncompliance, and you may be directed to a separate area and may receive additional screening.

Did you get a REAL ID but haven't received it yet?

If you don’t have a REAL ID or if it doesn’t come in the mail by May 7, a TSA spokesperson tells FOX 9 you may still be allowed to fly. However, your travel could be delayed while they verify your identification.

So, they recommend coming to the airport three hours early. A temporary Minnesota paper ID won’t work if you’re waiting for it in the mail. TSA says it accepts expired IDs up to a year after expiration.

Any paper receipt given to you by a DVS does not count as a REAL ID, TSA said. If DVS returned your non-REAL ID license, it would be helpful to bring that and your receipt with you for any additional screening you may need to undergo.

REAL ID application volume surging in Minnesota

By the numbers:

Minnesota DVS said based on an average month, they receive roughly 30,000 applications for all their cards.

The agency said that number has been surging. In April, the volume of just REAL ID applications was nearly 100,000.

The team said the 23 issuers can process just under 1,000 applications a day. They are now receiving three times that number of applications daily.

February 2025: 48,398
March 2025: 70,077
April 2025: 99,292

First few days of May 2025: Daily incoming average for REAL ID applications is 3,400. If the pace holds, it could end the month with 100,000 or more.

So, DVS said the current processing time is around 52 days or longer. The team said if you have another form of a TSA-acceptable ID that is not expired, consider using that for now while they clear the queue.

"If you have a different federal-approved documentation for REAL ID and you have a standard driver’s license or ID, we strongly recommend that you don’t rush to come in to get that changed. Just wait through your regular renewal cycle. And this will allow the people who really don’t have any other option," said Jody-Kay Peterson, Program Director at DVS.

In April, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said they were getting about 800 applications a day for REAL IDs. That doesn’t include applications for regular driver’s licenses or rnhanced IDs.

"So what we're seeing total coming in is 2,600 a day. That's a lot of applications, and I only have a team of 23 issuers that's reviewing so that there's the math right there," said Jody-Kay Peterson, Program Director of Driver Services.

How can I obtain a REAL ID?

What you can do:

Travelers that need to apply for a REAL ID, must visit the Department of Motor Vehicles office in their area and fill out an online application and upload their documents. When you arrive at the DMV office, make sure to bring your uploaded documents to complete the application.

The following documentation you need is listed below: