Ky.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Real ID
  • Frequently Asked Questions
Real ID

​​

A license is more than a pass to drive – it’s how you prove who you are. Driver’s licenses are used for everything from signing a lease to making age-restricted purchases. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is enhancing the security of the credential you rely on most while offering options to keep you on the move.

As of May 7, 2025, standard licenses will longer meet federal REAL ID requirements for Kentuckians to board U.S. flights or enter select federal facilities and military bases. 

By producing identity credentials at one secure location, Kentucky can offer a federally compliant credential for citizens who prefer the convenience of using a single, secure credential for access to federal facilities and other uses.

​

A REAL ID is a federally compliant driver’s license, permit, or personal ID that can be used to board domestic U.S. flights, enter military bases, and access federal buildings that require identification.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. military installations also accept other approved documents, such as valid, unexpired passports and passport cards. For a complete list of acceptable identification for air travel, visit the TSA website. Contact the military base you plan to visit to confirm which credentials they accept.

Standard Kentucky licenses, permits, and personal IDs cannot be used for domestic air travel or for entry into restricted federal facilities.


The REAL ID is optional and serves as one of many acceptable forms of identification accepted by the Transportation Security Administration and military bases. 

A REAL ID offers Kentuckians a single credential to use for multiple purposes, such as passing airport security checkpoints and verifying your identity for purchases. Standard driver’s licenses will not be accepted to board domestic flights or to enter restricted federal facilities.

Here is a list of IDs that fly:

  • ​Any Kentucky REAL ID driver’s license, permit or ID
  • U.S. passport
  • U.S. passport card
  • DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
  • U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
  • Permanent resident card
  • Border crossing card
  • DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
  • Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
  • HSPD-12 PIV card
  • Foreign government-issued passport
  • Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
  • Transportation worker identification credential (TWIC®)
  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
  • U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

You can apply for a REAL ID at any Driver Licensing Regional Office!

If your expiration date is six months or more after the date you apply, you may upgrade to REAL ID for $15. This will allow you to obtain a REAL ID credential that maintains your current credentials expiration date until you are eligible to renew your credential. ​

To learn what required documents you need to update and gather now, take the IDocument Guide quiz or review a list of acceptable documents here.


​
Standard credentials and REAL IDs are acceptable to:
  • Enter federal facilities, such as museums or a post office, that do not require a person to present identification;
  • Apply for or receive federal benefits (includes Social Security office);
  • Access health or life preserving services (includes hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings);
  • Participate in law enforcement proceedings or investigations (includes federal courthouses);
  • Operate a vehicle;
  • Vote or register to vote.
A standard credential cannot be used to board a U.S. flight and it cannot be used to access restricted federal facilities (such as military bases and the White House).


​
​
Applicants applying for a REAL ID or a first-time standard driver’s license must present documents that verify:

  1. Identity (e.g., certified birth certificate, U.S. passport, Permanent Resident Card)

  2. Social Security number (e.g., Social Security card, W-2 form)

  3. Kentucky residency: two proofs are required for a REAL ID(e.g., utility bill, lease agreement)

  4. Name change document: If your legal name, date of birth, or gender differs from what is shown on your identity or lawful status document, you must bring additional documentation (such as a marriage license, divorce decree, or court order).​

View our list of acceptable documents.​​

Many people change their names due to marriage, adoption, divorce or other reasons. In order to obtain a REAL ID or first-time standard credential, you must provide proof documents that show a direct link between your name changes. Those documents include a marriage certificate, divorce decree, legal name court order or valid U.S. Military ID card. If your name has changed due to marriage, you will need to request a new social security card that matches your current legal name before applying for a new credential.

For example, if your birth certificate displays your maiden name but your social security card displays your married name, you’ll need to bring a certified copy of your marriage certificate to link the documents. If you’ve lost your birth, marriage or divorce certificate, you will need to obtain a certified replacement copy. If you have a U.S. passport or passport card that matches your current legal name, you can use that document as proof of identity and legal presence, in place of a birth certificate.

If your present gender is different than what is listed on your identity document (such as a birth certificate or passport), you will need to present a court order changing gender marker or a letter from the surgeon that completed the gender reassignment.

If the birth date on your current license is not correct, you will need to present a birth certificate to ensure your new credential reflects the correct date.


To find out what additional documents you may need to provide, view our list of acceptable documents.

​
REAL ID credentials have new pricing to account for the longer shelf life and security improvements. ​A new eight-year REAL ID is $48. Applicants who opt for four-year credentials pay half the cost. 

New pricing information is available here.

A standard Kentucky motorcycle license will cost $43 and be valid for four (4) years. 

The Kentucky REAL ID motorcycle license is $43 and will be valid for eight (8) years. 

A combination motorcycle and operator standard license is $53 and $58 for a combination REAL ID. 

CDLs will be valid for eight (8) years and costs vary according to the type of CDL and different endorsement combinations. 

CDL pricing can be found here.

​​​​​​​​

Driver Licensing Regional Offices​ issue standard and REAL ID credentials. REAL ID licenses, permits, and IDs will be mailed to successful applicants and should be received within 10-15 business days. A 30-day temporary document will be issued on-site for use while you wait for your new credential to come in the mail.​​​​​​

We’re maximizing convenience by extending the renewal cycle of licenses and personal IDs from a four-year to an eight-year lifespan. 

Non-CDL applicants and those over the age of 21 can choose between a four- or eight-year credential. 

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) credentials will be valid for eight (8) years. Permits are valid for three (3) years and licenses issued to applicants under the age of 21 expire 90 days after the cardholder's 21st birthday.

​

Once you apply for a REAL ID credential, you will be issued a 30-day temporary document from the Driver Licensing Regional Office. This temporary document remains valid for driving and/or identification purposes while your permanent REAL ID is mailed to you.

Please be advised that until the physical REAL ID is received, travelers may be subject to enhanced screening at airport security checkpoints. For additional information regarding identification requirements and screening procedures, please visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website.​


​​​

After a name or address change, the applicant shall apply for an updated credential within 10 days. The cost of an updated or replacement credential is $15.00.

​
​

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. The companion will need a REAL ID-compliant form of identification.​

​

If your current credential's expiration date is within six (6) months, you can renew your license for another four- or eight-years when applying for a REAL ID..

If your expiration date is more than six months away, you can pay $15 for an ID that maintains your current credential's expiration date. 

For a list of other credentials accepted at airport security checkpoints, visit www.tsa.gov.​

​​​​

No. Kentucky will maintain strict control over its driver’s license and personal ID card programs, and will only share information with law enforcement agencies for the specific purpose of criminal investigation.​

​​
Safer credentials begin with issuance. By verifying the identities of applicants and moving the production of credentials from over-the-counter to a central printing location, the overall security of our credentials is boosted. The new credentials contain nearly double the amount of security features than the current issue credentials. ​

If your requested credential has not arrived at the address on record after 30 days , you may call the Division of Driver Licensing at (502) 564-1257.

​
​​
Kentucky’s new credentials are 100% laser engraved. A precision laser creates a grayscale image and renders a high-quality, high-resolution portrait with fine features and excellent gradation between light and dark areas. This leads to high-quality portraits that clearly and definitively represent the cardholder without the distortion and distraction of color.​
​It depends on how you travel to your cruise:

  • Flying to the cruise port: A REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or a passport is required to clear airport security.
  • Driving to the port: A REAL ID is not required.
  • Boarding the cruise itself: A valid passport is the safest option. However, many closed-loop cruises (departing and returning to the same U.S. port) may allow you to board with a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID instead.

*Always check with TSA and your cruise line for the most current identification requirements.


​​​