What Happens in Massachusetts if You Don’t Get a Real ID By Deadline?

Time is running out for Massachusetts residents to update their IDs.

Get our free mobile app

No matter where you live in the Bay State, whether it's Boston, Worcester, Springfield, etc., if you're a Massachusetts resident, one important thing you'll want to accomplish immediately is obtaining a REAL ID License. The cost for a REAL ID is $50, and there are some documents you need to get together to receive your REAL ID.

What Do I Need to Obtain a Real ID in Massachusetts? 

According to mass.gov, you'll need the following to obtain a REAL ID:

• Proof of Lawful Presence /Proof of Date of Birth
• Your current name must match the name on your lawful presence document(s) when applying for a REAL ID driver's license / ID card.
• Proof of Massachusetts Residency
• Proof of Social Security Number

You can view and download the Massachusetts Identification Documents Checklist here.

 What Will Happen If I Don't Obtain a Massachusetts REAL ID By the Deadline?

The textbook answer is that if you don't have a REAL ID by May 7, 2025, you won't be able to fly within the U.S. or enter certain federal buildings. However, the good news is that there likely won't be a hard stop on that date for those who don't have a Real ID. The Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie recently stated the following in a Berkshire Eagle article:

What we've heard from our Transportation Security Administration partners over the last several months is that they would not do any hard stop of somebody that didn't have a Real ID government-issued document upon travel on May 7, that they would ask people for additional identification, hand them a flyer and say, 'You really need to look into, if you don't have an active U.S. passport, to potentially get one of these if you're qualified.' So we don't think there's going to be a hard stop, and we also do not think the [enforcement] date is going to expand.

 

More Resources for Massachusetts Residents Updating to a Real ID  

If you have questions about the Real ID process, you can call the following numbers on weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm. For area codes 339/617/781/857, call 857-368-8000. For all other Massachusetts area codes, call 800-858-3926. You can also get more information here.