You can fly domestically with an expired ID if two things are true: the ID is one TSA already accepts, and it expired no more than two years ago.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint That covers a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a U.S. passport or passport card, a military ID, a permanent resident card, or a trusted traveler card like Global Entry. A standard state driver’s license without the REAL ID star is not on that list at all as of May 7, 2025, so an expired one won’t get you through the checkpoint no matter how recently it lapsed.
The Two-Year Rule, and What It Actually Covers
TSA’s grace period is narrow. The document has to be a type TSA currently accepts, and the expiration date has to fall within the previous 24 months.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint An expired REAL ID license from last year? Fine. A U.S. passport that lapsed 18 months ago, used for a domestic flight? Fine. A passport that expired three years ago? Not fine.
The rule applies only to domestic flights. It does not extend the life of a passport for international travel.
Why a Non-REAL ID License Fails Even If It’s Not Expired
Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts a state driver’s license or ID card that isn’t REAL ID-compliant for domestic air travel.2Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Compliant cards have a star (or a state flag) in the upper corner, or the word “Enhanced” printed on the front.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA to Highlight REAL ID Enforcement Deadline of May 7, 2025
If your license doesn’t have that marking, it isn’t on the acceptable list, and the two-year expired-ID grace period doesn’t rescue it. The grace period only extends the useful life of IDs that would be acceptable if they weren’t expired. Look at your card before you leave for the airport. No star and no “Enhanced” wording means you need a different document.
Other IDs That Work When Expired
If your driver’s license is expired and not REAL ID-compliant, check your wallet and drawers for something else on TSA’s accepted list:1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
- U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- Enhanced Driver’s License (issued by some border states)
- U.S. military ID, including dependent IDs4Defense Travel Management Office. REAL ID Required for U.S. Travelers Beginning May 7, 2025
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- Permanent resident card
- Federally recognized tribal photo ID
- USCIS Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766)
Any of these, expired within the past two years, will get you through a domestic checkpoint. A U.S. passport is the most useful backup because it satisfies both domestic screening and international travel. If one is sitting in a drawer at home, take it.
What to Expect at the Checkpoint
Handing an officer an expired but still-acceptable ID isn’t the end of the conversation. The officer will note the expiration and run additional identity verification, which usually means questions about your personal details and travel plans. Once your identity is confirmed, you go through, though secondary screening like a pat-down or a closer look at your carry-on is common.5Transportation Security Administration. Security Screening Build in an extra 30 to 45 minutes at the airport.
If TSA can’t verify who you are through any available method, you don’t enter the screening area. There’s no appeal at the checkpoint and no supervisor workaround. This is rare when travelers bring some form of documentation, but it does happen.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
Temporary Paper Licenses Don’t Count
If you renewed your license recently and are carrying the paper printout the DMV gave you while the real card is in the mail, plan around it. TSA does not accept temporary driver’s licenses.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint If you have a flight coming up during renewal, ask the DMV whether you can hold onto your old card, or travel on a passport.
Digital IDs on Your Phone
Mobile driver’s licenses are accepted at many TSA checkpoints. The agency now takes mobile IDs from more than 20 states and territories, delivered through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, or a state-issued app.6Transportation Security Administration. Participating States and Eligible Digital IDs The digital version must be based on a REAL ID-compliant physical card. TSA recommends carrying the physical ID as a backup, because phone batteries die.7Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Mobile Driver’s Licenses (mDLs)
The $45 ConfirmID Option Starting February 1, 2026
Travelers who arrive without any acceptable ID have a paid fallback beginning February 1, 2026. TSA ConfirmID is a $45 per-person identity verification service that lets TSA attempt to confirm who you are so you can proceed through screening.8Transportation Security Administration. $45 Fee Option for Air Travelers Without a REAL ID Begins February 1 Every adult 18 or older without acceptable ID pays separately.9Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID
You pay through Pay.gov, receive an email confirmation good for 10 days from your travel date, and show it to the officer at the checkpoint along with your legal name, address, and date of birth for verification.10Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID FAQs Two things to know before relying on it. First, the $45 buys an attempt, not a guarantee; if TSA can’t verify you, the fee is not refunded and you don’t fly.9Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID Second, travelers who show up unprepared and haven’t pre-paid should expect delays significant enough to miss a flight.8Transportation Security Administration. $45 Fee Option for Air Travelers Without a REAL ID Begins February 1
Two Things This Rule Does Not Cover
Children under 18 do not need ID to fly domestically on TSA’s terms, although the airline may have its own requirements for unaccompanied minors.11Transportation Security Administration. Do Minors Need Identification to Fly Within the U.S.?
The two-year grace period is domestic only. International flights require a valid, unexpired passport, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not allow U.S. citizens to re-enter the country on an expired one; if you’re abroad when yours lapses, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate before your flight home.12U.S. Customs and Border Protection. End of Use of Expired U.S. Passports for the Direct Return of U.S. Citizens to the United States