REAL ID deadline May 7

REAL ID is becoming a needed requirement for a handful of activities, and commercial aircrafts are the biggest concern. Starting May 7, 2025, all state and territory residents in the United States will need a REAL ID on their driver licenses to board commercial flights, even those in Sparta. All the way back in 2005, the REAL ID Act was passed by Congress, but it has been delayed in its full enforcement until now.

REAL ID approvals require a few things: proof of US citizenship or legal presence, proof of your full Social Security Number, and two proofs of Tennessee residency.

There are a few ways to get your REAL ID approved. The main way is to make an appointment at the Driver Services Center on the Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s website. There are also various county clerks across Tennessee that can issue REAL IDs. Right now, there are no ways to get your REAL ID approved here in White County.

White County Public Library recently got their new driver services kiosk. However, because of federal laws requiring the first application for a REAL ID be made in person, the kiosk cannot get an original, new REAL ID. It must be made via appointment in person.

The REAL ID will cost the same as a current Tennessee license, so it will not charge any extra as a normal driver license. A REAL ID can be noted by the star that will be on the top right of the document. On the old design, it will be a gold star, but the new license design will be a black star.