Real ID Deadline Is Here

Real ID Deadline Is Here

As of May 7, 2025, “Real IDs” are required for certain activities, including flying domestically and accessing federal courthouses and other federal buildings that require identification for entry. Although passport books and passport cards can satisfy the Real ID requirement, most people will be relying on enhanced state-issued driver licenses to comply.

Employers should remind employees working in federal buildings or on domestic flights of the Real ID requirements and ensure they have compliant ID. If employees are unprepared, employers may bear costs for lost time or travel, which they typically cannot recover from the employee.

Employers may need to help with Real ID costs. Federal law requires reimbursement if business expenses lower pay below minimum wage. Some states and cities, like California and Seattle, also mandate covering expenses related to job duties or remote work. Additional local requirements may apply to Real ID cost reimbursement.

If an employee must obtain a Real ID to perform job functions and doing so would lower the employee’s pay below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, the employer might need to reimburse the employee for the cost of the Real ID if they wouldn't have otherwise obtained it. Employers should check applicable state and local laws to see if they are required to reimburse employees for this expense.

Whether an employer must or should pay for an employee to obtain a Real ID, each state offers information and resources that employers can share with employees to support their obtaining a Real ID.