Flying- don’t have Real ID

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My aunt once had her whole wallet stolen and was still able to fly home domestically. Collect the IDs and documentation you do have, read up on processes, and give yourself lots of extra time at the airport.

Same. I lost my driver's license during a trip and was able to fly home. I did have a wallet full of credit cards with my name on it, but definitely didn't have a birth certificate or any other ID. This was about 3 years ago. The front desk of United did it for me and then printed some paper for me to use when I went through TSA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a different state but I googled recent California wait times for licenses and people are reporting getting their licenses in the mail in a week or two, not 5 to 6 weeks. DmV says 3 to 4 weeks. I think he needs to call the DMV as his license may have been lost or stolen in the mail.

I don't think this is his fault. 6 weeks should have been well enough and something has gone wrong here.

I’m not trying to be snarky, but how could he possibly think such a long wait was normal and not do anything about it before then? Even if you weren’t traveling, that is a very long time to wait for a drivers license. It was either stolen out of your box, never mailed or lost.

[Anonymous]

He’s a loser why are you still married to him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My aunt once had her whole wallet stolen and was still able to fly home domestically. Collect the IDs and documentation you do have, read up on processes, and give yourself lots of extra time at the airport.

Same. I lost my driver's license during a trip and was able to fly home. I did have a wallet full of credit cards with my name on it, but definitely didn't have a birth certificate or any other ID. This was about 3 years ago. The front desk of United did it for me and then printed some paper for me to use when I went through TSA.

This is the answer. He brings all the IDs and paperwork he has. Tell them when you check in and again at security. It might take an extra 30 minutes at security, but otherwise he should be fine. People lose their IDs all the time. They may interview you and do a quick search in a database to verify who you are. But it's definitely possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My aunt once had her whole wallet stolen and was still able to fly home domestically. Collect the IDs and documentation you do have, read up on processes, and give yourself lots of extra time at the airport.

Same. I lost my driver's license during a trip and was able to fly home. I did have a wallet full of credit cards with my name on it, but definitely didn't have a birth certificate or any other ID. This was about 3 years ago. The front desk of United did it for me and then printed some paper for me to use when I went through TSA.

This is the answer. He brings all the IDs and paperwork he has. Tell them when you check in and again at security. It might take an extra 30 minutes at security, but otherwise he should be fine. People lose their IDs all the time. They may interview you and do a quick search in a database to verify who you are. But it's definitely possible.

I'd also call the airline beforehand and see what they suggest bringing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a different state but I googled recent California wait times for licenses and people are reporting getting their licenses in the mail in a week or two, not 5 to 6 weeks. DmV says 3 to 4 weeks. I think he needs to call the DMV as his license may have been lost or stolen in the mail.

I don't think this is his fault. 6 weeks should have been well enough and something has gone wrong here.

I’m not trying to be snarky, but how could he possibly think such a long wait was normal and not do anything about it before then? Even if you weren’t traveling, that is a very long time to wait for a drivers license. It was either stolen out of your box, never mailed or lost.

Op here. I just wish he’d done his passport at the same time. The number you can call in CA asks if it’s been 60 days since you applied. But I think he should go back to the DMV.

The website is strange. When he checked about 2 weeks ago the status said basically “your new license expires in 2035”. Now it gives the date it was (supposedly?) mailed.

[Anonymous]

As of late May, 7% of people traveling through airports didn't have a REAL ID.

https://papersplease.org/wp/2025/05/28/200000-people-a-day-fly-without-real-id/

I strongly suspect his old license will be fine, and if not, the verification system where they call and ask credit report questions (Which of these 4 addresses is associated with you? etc) will be enough to identify him. Give it an extra 30 minutes and you will be fine. It's not that deep.

[Anonymous]

I also suspect the OP husband will be fine. One of my elderly-ish parents simply forgot their driver's license for a domestic flight. They thought they would have to go home and get the license and buy a new ticket, but the TSA people just asked some extra questions and waved them through. It may have helped that they had a photocopy of the forgotten license on their phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go without your husband since he can't handle basic adult responsibilities.

You'll just have to babysit him all trip.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s a loser why are you still married to him?

This board never fails to go to hyperbole. Getting a real ID six weeks before a trip should have been enough and it's certainly not divorce worthy. Good lord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, as PP said, did they not give him a temporary license?

Op here. He has a printed piece of paper that says it’s a temporary license, says he’s applied for real ID, and says it’s not (itself) a real ID or real ID compliant. It doesn’t have a picture on it; for instance.

This is good enough, along with his old license for a picture ID. My dd flew with this in March.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just have him bring what he has and get there really early. They'll take him aside and ask a bunch of extra questions to verify his identity. There's no need to spend hundreds of dollars on an expedited passport.

A simple Google search would tell you this but you just want to make a big fuss I guess.

Op here. Everything I see on Google says TSA *may* let you fly. Also, getting there “really early” isn’t really an option. We took a 7 am flight a few months ago and got there at 4:30 and there was already a large security line but security only opens at 4 am.

To the person who said to fly without him, that would be tempting and then just let him figure it out. It would also mean we don’t have to make the drive from my parents, siblings, and cousins in Boston to his a few days later in upstate New York. But kids and I would be sad if he weren’t with us for Christmas. His tendency to be out of sight out of mind with stuff like this is very frustrating but he does a lot for our family in other ways including taking good care of me when I got really sick recently.

Also if I go alone my whole family will spend the whole time making snide little comments and jabs about his failure to adult and I don’t want to deal with that either. It’s different when I visit parents or siblings without my DH planning to attend but since he does plan I think I’ll get judged by association.

Your family is not wrong - granted, not what you want to hear but is very much what you should hear.

Such a basic, minimal adulting fail - DH is a big wet blanket dud, OP.

Mark my words - as others on this thread have indicated, this situation will likely work itself out at the airport w/ some additional time allotted but this will only serve to perpetuate future foot-dragging and procrastination on basic life requirement by DH.

[Anonymous]

My elderly mom recently flew to see me without Real ID, and was just asked some extra questions.

However, in your position I'd stop brainstorming/emailing/searching/posting. This is his problem to solve.

It seems like you are putting a lot more energy into this than he is.

[Anonymous]

Real ID has been a thing for a long long time. WTF is with people who don't get one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Real ID has been a thing for a long long time. WTF is with people who don't get one?

California licenses typically renew every 5 years. Why not get one last cycle? Sheesh.