caramelshrink81

I'm flying from JFK to SEA in a few days for a long weekend. My license is current but will expire in three weeks. I know that I was unable to use a passport to travel internationally with a passport that expired in three weeks. Should I encounter any problems with my state-issued drivers license for domestic travel?

kayd

If it is valid on your travel dates, no worry. I've seen a TSA agent wave someone along with a "better renew that license, it expired last week".

caramelshrink81

Thanks for the prompt response, kayd. I figured I didn't have much to worry about but wanted to be certain. Do you think I would benefit from bringing along my passport (which is current)? Or am I over-thinking this?

nytraveler

You are over-thinking - and you don;t want to take a chance of losing your passport. But - don;t you need to renew your license? (We get our renewal forms like 60 days in advance.)

caramelshrink81

I sent it in... I've gotta wait for the DMV now, I guess. My birthday is the second week of November. You've a great point... I didn't want to risk losing the old passport. Thanks nytraveler... I'm not going to stress it

gail

I showed up 2 weeks ago at Logan (Boston) with a driver's license that was, unknown to me, 3 weeks expired. I was allowed to board and was told by TSA person that license was good for 1 year AFTER expiration.

HappyTrvlr

A few weeks ago two people were detained for an extended time on my TSA line,domestic US airport, one for an expired driver's license and then another for an expired passport. They were questioned by two different TSA agents; they held up two lines of unhappy travelers twice because of their expirations. Since yours hasn't expired, I think you'll be fine.Just a heads up.
There are always differences between airports and individual TSA agents.

november_moon

I travelled with an expired license once and the TSA agent got really excited about it and didn't want to let me through. This was an airport in Po-Dunk, USA and I think the TSA agent was just excited that SOMETHING happened - LOL. I was the only passenger going through security at the airport at the time - it is a very small airport.

I handed my license to the TSA agent. She said she couldn't accept it because it was exprired (by like a week - the new one hadn't come in the mail). I had the paper extension, just forgot to hand it over initially, so I said "Oh, sorry - here is the extention." to which she replied that she couldn't accept it - she could only accept the first form of ID presented. What? I told her that my license WAS valid, as she could see from the extension, but I also had my passport if she wanted to see it. Nope. Can't pass through security. So I asked her if she was really going to prevent me from boarding my plane because I neglected to give her the extention form with my license initially. She said yes. I asked for a supervisor. The supervisor came over, looked at my license and extention, rolled her eyes at the agent, and told me to go on through and have a nice day.

It was quite funny.

doug_stallings

There may be differences between TSA agents, but there's no requirement that your license be valid, just genuine. If you are concerned, bring your passport.

capxxx

I had an experience similar to November's -- for some reason I had both the old and new license in my bag and handed over the wrong one. The agent balked about letting me through, but then I was able to produce the new, valid license.

At first, this didn't satisfy her either; but I waited her out and she finally let me pass.

EmilyPost

A license is only considered to be genuine if it is valid. AAA can give you a same day license renewal. Did you go there?

Gretchen

I tell you we don't have this "mail it in" license renewal. We have to show up at the DMV and take a short test and an eye test.

J62

Correct, a DL is not considered valid if it is expired - but that applies to it's intended purposed - a license to drive.

There is in fact no TSA requirement that you have a valid, gov't issued ID. The only requirement is that you can prove you are the person named on the ticket. Sure, it makes it easier if everything is valid, but not required.

sludick

Looks like the TSA has updated their "acceptable ID" rules as of yesterday (10/16/12).

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids

EmilyPost

No use trying to fly anywhere with an expired anything. Non-renewal of a license or passport implies an inability to meet the demands of renewal. Anyway, you don't need a license, you simply need a government issued i.d. For example,there are plenty of people who don't drive in NYC who have valid, legal, identification cards. Go to your town hall and ask how you get one.

doug_stallings

EmilyPost is just plain wrong.

There's no requirement that a driver's license or state-issued ID card be non-expired. In most states, you have a grace period of from 1 month to 1 year to renew a driver's license, for example. It's not at all unusual for people from states where driver's licenses have to be renewed in person to have a brief period without a valid license.

Of course, since this is a matter of interpretation, different TSA agents will treat the requirement differently, and some airports have more overzealous agents than others. It's best to have a back-up just in case if you are flying without a valid driver's license. A Costco card is generally accepted as a back-up.

But to be very clear regarding the OP's original post: There is no requirement for domestic travel that an ID be valid for a certain period after the dates of travel. That's a requirement for travel to some foreign countries.

sludick

One other thought - I witnessed an individual being denied a rental car once because their driver's license was close to expiry. Hopefully your license doesn't expire during your trip?

EmilyPost

And I am not wrong, Doug. Try going through with an expired license and let us know how you make out with that.

doug_stallings

I've gone through security and taken airline flights with an expired driver's license (and I had no back-up). This happened last year when I had a 2-month lapse when I couldn't get into the DMV to renew my license. I took 2 flights (i.e., 2 round-trips) during that period and was able to get on all four flights.

If you have a problem, then ask for a supervisor, but there is no requirement that a driver's license be valid, just genuine.

Renting cars can be a different issue. Those requirements are set by the car-rental agencies themselves, so they probably differ. I don't really understand why one would not be allowed to rent a car for a finite time period if the license was set to expire after that period, but the car-rental company might have its own rules.

sludick

I believe that with an expired passport (within 12 months of expiration), you will need to provide some additional form of identification (e.g., social security or voter registration card). An expired driver's license may force you to produce two additional forms of identification.

All of which, as we know, is up to the discretion of the TSA agent you are dealing with.

Take a look at this:

http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/fil...ation_docs.pdf