Beginning May 7, everyone must have a REAL ID or another federally-issued ID to fly and enter certain federal buildings. If you don’t have one yet, you still have time. Here’s how REAL IDs work, and how to get one in Nashville.
🚗 What Is a REAL ID
In response to heightened security after the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the REAL ID Act of 2005, establishing minimum security standards for licenses to provide additional protection. After decades of delays, the act is now being enforced, and every state must implement the READ ID Act by May 7, 2025.
REAL IDs are harder to counterfeit and require additional paperwork to prove identity. They will be used to access federal facilities, board commercial aircraft, and enter nuclear power plants.
✈️ Do I Need a REAL ID?
You do not need a REAL ID by May 7 if …
- You don’t plan to fly domestically.
- You won’t need to enter a federal building or military base.
- You have a passport, which enables you to do everything listed here.
You need a REAL ID if you plan to do any of the above and don’t have a passport.
You don’t need a REAL ID to drive, vote, buy alcohol, or apply for federal benefits.
🧑💼 How Do I Get a REAL ID in Nashville?
You must go to a Driver Services Center in person to apply for a REAL ID. You can make an appointment here, but the first available appointment at any Nashville-area center isn’t until June. However, you don’t need to go to a Davidson County center. Check Cookeville, McMinnville, and Tullahoma for earlier appointments. The website is confusing, and you need to check under both ‘REAL ID Appointments’ and ‘Drivers License and REAL ID Appointments’ to get a complete list of places.
You can also get your required documents preapproved, and once approved, show up to a Driver Services Center with an e-ticket. You can check wait times when you select an e-ticket, though be prepared to wait longer.
Required REAL ID documents are:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence
- Proof of your full social security number
- Two proofs of Tennessee residency
