Do you have a star on your driver’s license? If not, there is still time to get your REAL ID-compliant driver’s license with that star. Procrastination will not help. The countdown is on.  Beginning May 7, 2025, all residents must present a REAL ID or other federally acceptable document to the TSA when flying.
What Is A Real ID?
A real ID is your driver’s license with a star on it. It supports further documentation, allowing proof of your citizenship and living address. If a traveler’s driver’s license is not REAL ID-compliant, they will need another form of approved identification, such as a passport, to board their flight.
In Missouri
To get one in Missouri, you need the following documentation to apply for a Real ID driver’s license:
- Identity (one acceptable document to verify full legal name and date of birth);
- Lawful Status in the United States (one acceptable document to verify United States citizenship or immigration status);
- Social Security Number (one acceptable document);
- Missouri Residency (two acceptable documents verifying your Missouri residential address); and
- If your name differs from the name on your identity and date of birth verification document, additional items, such as a certified marriage license or court order, may be required to verify a new or prior name change.
Missouri residents can upgrade to a REAL ID if their license does not have the star or can drive with an older standard driver’s license. However, a standard credential—without the star—will not be valid to board a flight or to gain access to secure federal facilities, including military bases and some federal offices.
To get the REAL ID star after May 7, individuals must prove their U.S. citizenship and residency by visiting an Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) field office or Public Tag Agent location. The real-ID license is available in Missouri right now.
Rules
The real ID license does not affect your current driver’s license. You can use a passport to fly if you do not have a real ID.
