You can fly domestically with an expired driver’s license if it is REAL ID compliant and expired no more than two years ago. Past that two-year mark, or if the license was never REAL ID compliant, TSA will not accept it at the checkpoint and you’ll need another form of accepted identification or the paid TSA ConfirmID verification process.
The Two-Year Rule
TSA accepts an expired ID for up to two years past the expiration date printed on the card, and this applies across every form of identification on TSA’s acceptable ID list, from REAL ID licenses to U.S. passports to military IDs.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint A REAL ID compliant license with a March 15, 2025 expiration date will still get you through security through March 15, 2027.
The rule applies the same way in both directions of a trip. TSA does not treat return flights differently from departing flights, so a license that works at your origin airport will work at the airport you’re flying home from, as long as you’re still inside the two-year window.
REAL ID Compliance Matters More Than the Expiration Date
Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts non-REAL ID compliant state driver’s licenses and identification cards at airport checkpoints, whether they are current or expired.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint A brand-new standard license without the REAL ID marking will not get you through. An expired license that was never REAL ID compliant fails on both counts.
A compliant card typically shows a star or flag symbol in the upper corner. If you cannot tell whether yours qualifies, check with your state’s department of motor vehicles before heading to the airport.2Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID There have been no extensions or grace periods beyond the May 2025 enforcement date.
If Your Expired License Won’t Work
You still have options if your license is more than two years expired or was never REAL ID compliant. Any of these will get you through the checkpoint on their own, and each one is also subject to the same two-year expired-ID allowance:1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
- U.S. passport or passport card
- Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced ID Card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including dependent IDs
- Permanent resident card
- Veteran Health Identification Card
- USCIS Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
One thing to watch: a temporary paper driver’s license, the printout you receive at the DMV while waiting for your permanent card, is not accepted.1Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint If you recently renewed and only have the temporary paper, bring your old expired license too. As long as that expired card is REAL ID compliant and within two years of its expiration date, it will work.
TSA ConfirmID When You Have No Acceptable ID
If you can’t produce a qualifying ID, TSA ConfirmID is the paid backup. Starting February 1, 2026, travelers arriving without an acceptable ID, including anyone holding only a non-REAL ID compliant license, are directed to this fee-based identity verification.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1
The fee is $45 and covers a 10-day travel window, which is enough for a round trip with some cushion. Payment can go through Pay.gov before you leave for the airport or at marked locations near the checkpoint, and TSA accepts bank account, debit card, credit card, Venmo, or PayPal.4Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID You’ll present the receipt at the checkpoint to start the verification.
Two important limits. TSA cannot guarantee it will be able to verify your identity, and if the system can’t confirm who you are, you will not clear security and could miss your flight.5Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID FAQs Expect additional screening on top of the verification: a pat-down and a physical bag search are standard, and the identity check averages 10 to 15 minutes but can run 30 minutes or longer.6Transportation Security Administration. About TSA ConfirmID Arrive at least two hours before departure if you’re relying on ConfirmID, and give yourself three hours if you have no ID at all.
International Flights Are Different
The two-year allowance is for domestic travel only. International flights require a valid U.S. passport, and an expired driver’s license does not substitute for one no matter how recently it expired. Most destination countries also require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, so an expired passport won’t get you far either, and standard renewal currently takes several weeks.