Check your travel documents — REAL ID required for domestic travel starting 2025

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Department of Homeland Security announced that starting May 7, 2025, all travelers over age 18 will be required to possess a REAL ID to board domestic flights and/or cross the border.

This directive serves as a reminder for people to ensure they have the necessary documentation for future travel plans.

Most Utahns are already compliant with REAL ID requirements. The Utah Department of Public Safety said REAL IDs have been issued in the state for years, and around 80 percent of Utahns have them.

If you want to verify, check your Utah driver license or state ID and make sure it bears a gold star.

If you want to travel internationally, you will still need a passport.

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Veteran Utah travel agent Suzy Gustafson of SG Travel Two, said she's more concerned about travelers having valid passports than having REAL IDs, since most Utahns have them.

Gustafson said people who travel out of the U.S. often overlook the fact that many countries, except for Mexico, require passports to be valid six months beyond the date of the return flight.

That means passport holders should treat the document as if it expires after 9.5 years, not 10 years.

She has known travelers who have been turned away at the airport for international flights because their passport does not meet that requirement.

"They will not let you on the plane," she said.

The risk of financial loss due to improper documentation is real if you miss your flight and lose hotel rooms or other accommodations.

Gustafson said most travel insurance plans will not cover you if you miss a flight because your documents aren't in order.

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