As the REAL ID deadline approaches, it may bring up questions like what is it, whether you need one, when you need it and how to apply.

Officials with the Washington State Department of Licensing, the Transportation Security Administration, SEA International Airport, and Alaska Airlines announced in a news release earlier this year that Washington state residents will need to have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, identification card or other acceptable document to board a commercial flight starting May 7, 2025.

The 2005 REAL ID Act established security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits specific federal agencies from accepting licenses or identification cards that do not meet those standards, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

This deadline is quickly approaching, so we spoke with the DOL to determine five key things that Washington residents should know about Washington's REAL ID-compliant enhanced driver license (EDL) or enhanced ID card (EID).

Five things to know about Washington's EDL and EID

Here are five key things that the DOL thinks you should know about Washington's EDL and EID:

▪ First-time EDL or EID applicants must apply in person

Anybody who is applying for an EDL or EID must do so in person at any of the 52 DOL offices in the state. EDL and EID renewal can be done online through the DOL website.

You need one way to prove your identity, two ways to prove your residence, and your social security number. The DOL has a toolkit that helps residents prepare for the upcoming REAL ID travel requirements.

▪ Not everyone needs a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card

Christine Anthony, the Digital Communications Manager at the Department of Licensing, said in an interview that Washington is one of the few states that makes having a REAL ID-compliant form of identification optional.

"In our state, you can either have a standard driver's license or you can choose the enhanced driver's license if you plan to travel [by plane], but there are other forms of ID that you can travel with," Christine Anthony said.

Other forms of acceptable identification for travel include a U.S. passport, foreign passport, permanent resident card, federally recognized tribal-issued photo ID and U.S. military ID, according to the DOL. Visit the ID2025 website for a full list of REAL ID-compliant forms of identification.

▪ EDLs can be used to travel to Mexico and Canada

People traveling to and from Canada and Mexico by land or sea in states with EDLs can use that instead of a passport or passport card.

According to the Department of Homeland Security website, state-issued EDLs are acceptable border-crossing documents under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Washington is currently one of five states that offer EDLs.

A valid passport will still be required if you plan to travel internationally by plane.

▪ Receiving your EDL/EID can take up to three weeks

It currently takes about three weeks to receive an EDL or EID in the mail, but this time frame can change depending on if there is an influx of applicants.

Anthony recommends that people who are interested in upgrading their driver's license or ID to an EDL or EID do so right away.

"If you decide to upgrade your current standard driver license to an enhanced, make an appointment today," Anthony stated in an email. "DO NOT WAIT UNTIL APRIL because driver license offices will only get busier."

▪ Some Federal agencies will require an EDL/EID to enter

An EDL or EID will be required to enter certain federal agencies, military bases and nuclear plants, according to the DOL and DHS.