All DoD-issued identification – to include IDs with indefinite expiration dates – will remain valid for airline travel after new REAL ID compliance rules take effect May 7, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials confirmed with MOAA.

DoD IDs, including those issued to dependents, are on the official TSA list of acceptable identification “and will still be an acceptable form of ID following the implementation of REAL ID,” an official said via email. VA-issued Veteran Health Identification Cards (VHICs) are also on the approved list.

MOAA has fielded concerns from members who have encountered long delays or other challenges when using DoD-issued IDs at airports. Military.com first reported on issues faced by holders of IDs with “INDEF” expiration dates in 2024; at the time, TSA reportedly was considering removing “INDEF” IDs from the approved list because of issues with screening technology.

[DoD RESOURCES: RAPIDS ID Card Office | ID Cards and Access]

A recent Military.com report noted confusion surrounding the issue, including a since-deleted social media post from an Army installation falsely stating retiree and family member IDs would no longer be accepted after the REAL ID changeover.

Rejected ID?

Asked what a military-connected traveler should do if their ID card is rejected, a TSA spokesman told MOAA via email that “[a] military ID should not be rejected, as it’s an acceptable form of ID. If this does happen, they should ask for a Supervisory Transportation Security Officer (STSO).”

For more about the REAL ID changeover, travelers can:

• Access state-specific guidelines and other REAL ID implementation information.
• Get answers to frequently asked questions about the REAL ID process.
• Contact TSA Customer Service.

More ID Card News

The REAL ID card move comes months before DoD completes an unrelated phase-out of its paper-based ID cards in favor of the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID Card.

“Replacement of all paper based USID cards with 4- or 5-year expiration dates will occur by December 31, 2025,” according to a March email to MOAA from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), which stated that replacement of “INDEF” cards, such as those used by retirees and incapacitated dependents, “must be completed at the customer’s convenience prior to the paper-based card [form's] termination in 2026.”

DoD has not announced a specific date when the paper cards would no longer be accepted. Those with older “INDEF” cards seeking a replacement can do so using the guidance available at MOAA’s ID Card page.