by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Maine driver’s licenses will still suffice if you want to drive, cash checks, or rent a car, among other ordinary daily uses, after May of next year. But if you're going to fly or enter a secure federal facility, a standard driver’s license won’t cut it starting May 3, 2023. For that, you’ll need a REAL ID or a U.S. passport.

Maine began issuing REAL IDs in 2019 to comply with a new federal law. This year, the federal government announced it would begin enforcing use of the REAL ID starting next spring.