Real ID enforcement starts at airports nationwide on Wednesday, May 7. Passengers will need a more secure license to fly anywhere in the United States and even to enter federal buildings.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says 81% of Americans have this license, which has increased security features to prevent identity theft. In Maryland, 4.8 million residents, about 99% of all eligible residents, have a Real ID.

TSA says it is fully staffed, calling this an all-hands-on-deck situation. Before traveling, passengers should check their driver's license to see if it has a star, which shows it is a Real ID.

"If you don't have it, get it because it just speeds the process along really fast," said Dayna White, who was traveling from Tampa, Florida.

Travelers at BWI Thurgood Marshall say they are ready to go by the deadline.

"We checked our driver's license to make sure there was a little star there. My brother-in-law got a letter because he didn't have one, so that alerted us to look on our driver's license to make sure it was there," said Beverly Sullivan, from Sarasota, Florida.

What is a Real ID?

The Real ID is a federally compliant license, learner permit, or nondriver ID card issued by state driver's license agencies. You can tell if a state-issued license or ID card is a Real ID if it has a black or gold star in the upper right corner.

The symbol might look slightly different depending on the state from which it's issued. In Maryland, there is a star in the top right corner of the license.

Real ID has been a long-awaited change. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 after a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission. The change required additional security technology to be embedded in the license to prevent fraudsters from impersonating travelers.

"We want to know you are who you say you are because we want to know who is boarding the plane," Lisa Farbstein, spokesperson for TSA, told WJZ.

It took years for states to design these new identification cards to meet the federal requirement. The rollout, originally planned for 2008, was also delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are there alternative forms of identification?

If you don't have a Real ID, TSA has a list of other valid forms of identification you can use to get through an airport checkpoint. This includes passports, permanent resident cards, Enhanced IDs, and Global Entry cards.

If you do not bring another form of identification, you will be stopped and told you are not in compliance before going through additional screening.

"They may be directed to a separate screening area, and they may receive some enhanced screening," Farbstein said.

How do I get a Real ID? Can I apply for one online?

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration says there are available daily if you do not have a Real ID yet.

MVA says it began this rollout in 2018, but began collecting documents for Real ID before this. It says the lengthy rollout and increased awareness about the deadline led to the state being one of the national leaders in adopting this change.

"Because we've been doing this a while, when you got your renewal notice, you were notified of the requirement and given time to bring in those documents, starting early certainly helped as well to get us to this point," MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer said.

Where is a Real ID required?

Real ID will also be used to enter some federal buildings. MVA says it believes most neighbors were aware of the Real ID change because of this requirement. Locations, such as the U.S. Naval Academy, will require this more secure license for entry.

Impact on wait times

TSA is not expecting any major delays at checkpoints for passengers. If you are concerned, TSA is always encouraging passengers to arrive early to make their flight on time.

Tara Lynch is an Emmy-nominated reporter who is excited to share the stories of Baltimore.