GREAT FALLS — As of May 7, 2025, travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant identification card to board commercial aircraft in the United States.
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Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005; it established minimum standards for state-issued identification.
Montana offers residents the option to have a driver's license or ID card that is compliant with the REAL ID Act.
It costs an additional $25 and applicants must show proof of full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, proof of Montana residence, and proof of authorization to be in the United States.
Alternatively, U.S. passports are compliant with the act and can be used if you do not have REAL ID state-issued identification card.
The Montana Department of Justice notes:
You are not required to get a Montana REAL ID compliant license or ID; however, a Montana REAL ID compliant license or ID or another acceptable form of identification is required to fly domestically and access federal facilities by May 7, 2025. Alternative options, such as a passport or passport card, are acceptable forms of identification.
Click here to visit the MT DOJ website for more information.
In addition, and also effective on May 7, 2025, all Air Force Global Strike Command bases - including Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls - will require visitors to have a REAL ID to enter base as part of a nation-wide effort to enhance security and standardize identification requirements across federal facilities.
The U.S. Air Force says this requirement does not apply to military and base personnel who already possess a military ID, military dependent ID, a Common Access Card or a federal government-issued Personal Identity Verification Card.
Visitors not meeting the REAL ID Act requirements can be either escorted by a person possessing a valid installation access credential (if authorized by the installation commander) or denied entry to the installation.
The only alternative forms of ID for visitors to use in conjunction with their non-compliant REAL ID credential include:
- Birth certificate with a raised seal and social security card
- U.S. or foreign Passport/Passport Card
- Veteran’s Health Identification Card
- Transportation Worker Identification Card
