Can You Fly With an Expired License/ID or Temporary License? Answered

When life gets busy, finding time to renew an expired ID before an upcoming airplane trip might slip your mind. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you don’t realize in time that your ID has expired or you’ve accidentally left it at home, you will most likely still be able to board your flight. This article will cover what you need to know about flying with an expired form of identification or a temporary form of identification.

Can You Fly with an Expired Driver’s License/ID? Can You Fly with a Temporary Paper License

You can usually fly with an expired driver’s license or other ID. Fortunately, the TSA has procedures in place for verifying your identification without any form of ID. This method can be used whether your ID is expired or you’ve just forgotten it at home. Letting someone go through security with an expired ID is up to the individual TSA agent and you may still need to go through the additional identification screening.

If you don’t have a valid license or other ID for any reason, all you need to do is let the TSA agent checking IDs know about your situation. The agent will ask if you have another form of identification with you; if you don’t, then you’ll be asked to fill out a form to verify your identity. The form will ask for your name and current address and ask additional questions that can be used to identify you. If the agent can verify your identity, you’ll be allowed to enter the security checkpoint and may be subject to additional screening. The TSA recommends that you arrive at least two hours before your flight if you need to go through this process.

If your identification can’t be confirmed or you refuse to answer the TSA agent’s questions, you will not be permitted to fly. The above information was gathered from the TSA identification requirements website and the official TSA blog.

Accepted Forms of Identification

If you don’t have a valid driver’s license or state ID, there are other forms of identification that the TSA will accept. Note that temporary IDs such as a paper temporary driver’s license are not valid at the security checkpoint. A weapon permit is also not an acceptable form of identification. Here is the complete list, which comes directly from the TSA website, of the TSA’s approved forms of identification:

Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
U.S. passport
U.S. passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. military ID (active duty or retired military and their dependents, and DoD civilians)
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
Airline or airport-issued ID (if issued under a TSA-approved security plan)
Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

In Summary

Flying can be stressful, so anything that makes the process easier is welcome. If you ever find yourself with an expired driver’s license/ID, don’t panic! Thankfully, you can still catch your flight even if you don’t have proper identification on you. You’ll need to verify who you are through a series of questions and forms, but as long as you comply, you’ll be free to travel to your destination. If you’re lucky, the TSA agent might let you through with your expired ID without going through additional screening. If you notice your ID has expired at the last minute, bring one or more of the additional forms of identification mentioned above and you’ll most likely be able to fly without a problem.