SAN ANTONIO – The Department of Homeland Security has provided a tentative schedule for airport screeners to start accepting federal standard compliant driver’s licenses only.
Texas driver’s licenses don’t meet the current standards, which require all forms of identification to have a chip or magnetic strip to store personal information.
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This is the fourth phase in the enforcement plan for the REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005.
Texas has been given an extension, so state-issued licenses are acceptable until Oct. 10, 2016. There is a possibility the deadline could be extended again.
Permanent Residency Cards and passports will continue to be acceptable forms of identification, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Children under the age of 18 will not be required to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States as long as the companion has acceptable identification.
These changes also extend to military bases and federal facilities. Contact the facility ahead of time to determine what forms of identification are acceptable for entry.