REAL IDs or Passports Required Feb. 1 For Air Travel

03:44PM / Monday, January 26, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is reminding residents that they must present a federally approved form of identification, such as a REAL ID driver's license, a REAL ID identification card, or a valid U.S. passport, when proceeding through airport security for domestic flights.

A full list of TSA acceptable documents is available here.

Massachusetts currently has over 65 percent adoption statewide with over 3.67 million residents possessing a REAL ID. Residents do not need to wait until their current license or ID expires and may renew up to one year before the printed expiration date.

TSA has announced that beginning Feb. 1, 2026, travelers arriving at the airport without a federally approved ID will be required to enroll in the TSA's Confirm ID program. To enroll, travelers will be directed to provide information for identity verification. The verification takes between 10 to 30 minutes and costs $45 covering 10 days of travel.

"We want everyone to be able to get through airport security as quickly and smoothly as possible. For that reason, we are encouraging residents to check that they have a REAL ID available for future travel including school vacations or spring and summer travel," said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. "Residents can visit the Mass.Gov/REALID website to learn what documents are required and plan ahead to gather their documents before their in-person appointment."

Individuals who need to apply for a REAL ID are required to do so through an in-person appointment which can be scheduled through the RMV's Online Service Center at Mass.Gov/myRMV, or at Northeast.aaa.com for AAA members.

Travelers should plan ahead to request and obtain certified documents if needed, schedule an in-person appointment, and allow three weeks after the appointment for receipt of the REAL ID by mail. The REAL ID typically arrives within 10 – 14 business days.

The following is more information on the fees, required documents, and renewal options:

REAL ID fees are the same as fees for standard noncompliant credentials are below. Renewals can be done up to a year ahead of the printed expiration date:

Driver's license renewal (standard or REAL ID): $50
Mass ID renewal: $25
REAL ID upgrade prior to expiration: $25
Customers with a stay in the U.S. of less than five years pay a prorated fee

Required Original or Certified Documents

To obtain a REAL ID, customers must bring original or certified versions of the following:

Proof of lawful presence
Two proofs of Massachusetts residency
Proof of a full Social Security Number

Name Changes

Residents who have changed their name since the issuance of their lawful presence document must also bring legal proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. The RMV recommends gathering documents well in advance to avoid delays.

Renewal Options

Customers may renew their license or ID up to one year before the printed expiration date. Those who already hold a REAL ID compliant credential may renew online, provided they have not changed their name or hold a limited term REAL ID.

Additional Information

Information on REAL ID requirements, visit Mass.Gov/REALID
General RMV services, visit Mass.Gov/RMV
TSA identification guidelines, visit tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification
TSA Confirm ID Program, visit: https://www.tsa.gov/tsaconfirm-id

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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