TSA Faces a Problem With One Form of ID

Earlier this year, the TSA officially moved forward with a high-profile change, requiring all passengers to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification when they go through the security checkpoint at the airport. However, the TSA now seems to have a pretty significant problem with a form of identification it claims to accept.

The REAL ID Act was originally passed by Congress in 2005 to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses and identification cards.” While it took about two decades to be officially implemented, the TSA officially began requiring identification that complied with REAL ID standards on May 7, 2025.

For most travelers, the changes meant that they would either have to make sure their driver's license was compliant with REAL ID standards or use their passport.

The TSA did list a number of alternatives, though:

State-issued Enhanced Driver's License.U.S. passport.U.S. passport card.U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST).U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents.Permanent resident card.Border crossing card.An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).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.Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC).

However, the TSA seems to be having a pretty significant issue with one of those forms of identification that it states complies with REAL ID standards.

While a tribal ID card is recognized by the U.S. federal government and is on the TSA’s list of acceptable forms of identification, The Travel highlighted several Reddit users who have reported problems using their tribal ID at the airport.

In many cases, the traveler is told that the tribal ID isn't valid, and the TSA agent requests another form of identification.

"The last few times I have flown I have presented TSA with my federally recognized tribal ID, and have been told it isn’t valid. Every time, they swipe the ID look at the screen and tell me “nothing is popping up”. And force me to use another ID. Per the TSA guidelines and from the tribal list, my ID should be accepted and Real ID compliant. Any recommendations or guidance here? Note: this is all for US domestic flights, no international travel/arrival," One Reddit user said in a post.

It's worth noting that the TSA seemingly confirmed this problem on the "Tribal and Indigenous" page of its website, where it confirms that tribal cards are indeed an acceptable form of identification, but acknowledged that these IDs may not be able to be scanned with technology.

"TSA accepts IDs from Federally recognized Tribes. If your ID cannot be scanned by technology, you will be asked for a secondary ID that can be scanned. If you do not have a second ID, your Tribal ID will be inspected manually and cross-referenced with the Federal Register."

This is a valid explanation as it indicates that the problem lies with technology rather than the agency simply refusing to accept a form of identification it claims is acceptable. However, it is still a pretty major problem that the TSA and its technology seems to be unable to recognize a federally accepted form of identification that its own policies claim complies with REAL ID standards.

After making such a big deal about making sure everyone complies with the new REAL ID standards just a few months ago, it's pretty baffling that the TSA seems unprepared to accept a form of identification that complies with those standards.