Check Your License. No Gold Star, No Flying Starting in 2020

This has been a fascinating discovery for me. I ran across this article at wfaa.com that says beginning October 1, 2020, if you don't have a gold star (pictured above on my drivers license) in the top right corner of your license, you will not be able to board a plane and fly internationally or domestically.

Why? It's part of a law that was passed in 2005, that's right, 14 years ago, called the Real ID Act that provides the provisions for issuing government documents. Here's the other thing, not all states are compliant with this law, either, after 14 years.

This graph below from dhs.gov shows who is and isn't compliant, yet.

If you click on this link, you can find a more detailed explanation for each state's compliance or noncompliance.

I brought this up to one of my co-workers, who is a licensed pilot. His drivers license doesn't have the gold star, so what does that for him?

Discuss this amongst your co-workers today and you'll walk away as baffled, but also as fascinated, as I am about this subject.