Maine ID’s Now Accepted When Boarding Commercial Flights

Your Maine identification will be accepted while boarding commercial flights until January 22nd, as the state works to comply with the REAL ID act.

Maine legislators resisted the REAL ID law, stating that it went too far and would invade the privacy of residents. The federal law requires states to use things like facial recognition technology on license photos and to retain copies of birth certificates. In addition, compliance would cost money that the state didn't want to spend.

Now, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap says the state has been granted a grace period from enforcement of the law until January 22nd, allowing residents to board domestic flights with a state-issued ID. The state is expecting to get more time comply with the federal regulations.

The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles will being producing REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses by July 2019. Federal officials will require compliant IDs to board commercial aircraft in 2020.