All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories are currently compliant with the REAL ID Act and are issuing compliant licenses and ID cards.
While all REAL IDs require proof of lawful presence, only 5 states currently issue a specific version—the Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)—that serves as definitive proof of U.S. citizenship for international land and sea travel.
States and Citizenship Verification
- 5 States with Citizenship-Proof IDs: Only , , , , and issue Enhanced IDs (EDLs). These cards are specifically designed to verify U.S. citizenship to meet Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) standards for crossing borders by land or sea.
- All Other States: While standard REAL IDs in the other 45 states require proof of identity and legal residency, they are not accepted as proof of citizenship for international travel and generally do not feature a "citizenship" indicator.
- Visual Distinction: You can identify a citizenship-verifying ID by the word "Enhanced" and a U.S. flag icon at the top of the card. Standard REAL IDs usually feature a star (gold or black) in the upper corner.
