Residents of Illinois are now only one month away from the deadline to get their Real ID. What happens if you don’t get it done by the May 7, 2025 deadline? There are consequences, but it’s not the end of the world either.
There’s no need to search for the Illinois Real ID answers anywhere other than the Illinois Secretary of State’s website. Let’s get one issue out of the way from the beginning. It is NOT mandatory that you get an Illinois Real ID. That being said, if you don’t get an Illinois Real ID by May 7, you will need other identification to fly domestically, but there are ways around it. The state of Illinois says as an alternative to the Real ID, you will need “a valid U.S. passport or passport card, military ID or other federally approved identification”.
What can’t I do if I choose to not get an Illinois Real ID or can’t get one before the deadline?…