REAL ID and Identification Requirements When Applying For or Exercising the Privileges of a Certificate, Rating, or Authorization

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION N 8900.760

NOTICE

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Effective Date: 1/7/26 National Policy Cancellation Date: 1/7/27 SUBJ: REAL ID and Identification Requirements When Applying For or Exercising the Privileges of a Certificate, Rating, or Authorization 1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice provides guidance related to the use of a government-issued driver’s license to satisfy identification requirements when applying for or exercising the privileges of a certificate, rating, or authorization under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61, 63, 65, 67, 107, or 183.

2. Audience. The primary audience for this notice includes Flight Standards (FS) Safety Assurance inspectors and designees who process applications for a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under 14 CFR part 61, 63, 65, 67, 107, or 183. The secondary audience includes the Safety Standards and Foundational Business offices.

3. Where You Can Find This Notice. You can find this notice on the MyFAA employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices and the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov . Operators and the public can find this notice on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_no tices and DRS.

4. Background. The REAL ID Act of 2005 established minimum security standards for the issuance of state-issued identification documents to enhance national security. Effective May 7, 2025, individuals using a driver’s license or identification card issued by a U.S. state or territory to access certain Federal facilities (including FAA facilities), boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft, or entering nuclear power plants must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card. These compliant documents require applicants to provide specific documentary evidence prior to issuance.

5. Information.

a. Requirement for Exercising Certificate Privileges. A U.S. driver’s license is recognized as a form of official government-issued photo identification for purposes of applying for, or exercising the privileges of, a certificate, rating, or authorization under 14 CFR part 61, 63, 65, 67, 107, or 183. Specifically, 14 CFR § 61.3(a)(2) requires airmen exercising certificate Public Law (PL) 109-13, Division B, REAL ID Act of 2005 (May 11, 2005).

Distribution: Electronic Only Initiated By: AFS-800

1/7/26 N 8900.760 privileges to carry government-issued photo identification. A state-issued driver’s license, even if not REAL ID compliant, satisfies this requirement.

b. Non-REAL ID Driver’s Licenses. In some cases, non-REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses may display notations such as: • “Not for Federal Identification,” or • “Not for Federal Purposes.” (1) These notations are intended to indicate that the document is not REAL ID compliant for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or Federal facility access purposes. They do not restrict the license’s acceptability for FAA purposes under 14 CFR.

(2) The REAL ID Act does not apply to the issuance of, nor to the exercising of, privileges associated with certificates, ratings, or authorizations under 14 CFR. Therefore, the FAA may accept non-REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses as valid forms of identification for all regulatory purposes as described above.

6. Disposition. We will incorporate the information in this notice into FAA Order 8900.1 before this notice expires. Direct questions or comments concerning the information in this notice to the General Aviation and Commercial Division (AFS-800) at 202-267-1100.

Jon Ottney for Hugh Thomas Acting Executive Director, Flight Standards Service