If you've recently applied for a new or renewed driver's license and received a temporary paper document while your permanent card is being processed, you may be wondering whether that interim license will get you through airport security. The short answer: it depends — on the type of interim document you have, the state that issued it, and whether it meets federal Real ID requirements.
An interim driver's license (sometimes called a temporary license, paper license, or receipt) is a document issued by a state DMV to serve as proof of licensing while a permanent plastic card is being produced and mailed. These documents are typically printed on paper or lightweight cardstock and include your name, license class, and in many cases an expiration date.
Interim documents are issued in several common situations:
The format, validity period, and official status of these documents vary significantly from state to state.
Since May 7, 2025, the Real ID Act has been fully enforced at U.S. airport security checkpoints. To board a domestic commercial flight, travelers must present a federally accepted form of identification — either a Real ID-compliant document or an acceptable alternative such as a U.S. passport.
A Real ID-compliant card is marked with a star symbol (typically gold or black) in the upper corner. This star indicates that the issuing state verified your identity documents according to federal standards.
Here's where interim licenses create complications: most paper interim documents do not carry the star marking and are not independently recognized as Real ID-compliant by TSA. Even if you applied for a Real ID and are waiting for your starred card to arrive, the interim paper document may not satisfy the federal requirement at a checkpoint.
The TSA maintains a list of accepted identification for airport security. Standard entries include:
| Document Type | Generally Accepted? |
|---|---|
| Real ID-compliant driver's license (starred) | Yes |
| U.S. passport or passport card | Yes |
| DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, etc.) | Yes |
| Standard (non-Real ID) driver's license | Not after enforcement deadline |
| Paper interim driver's license | Typically no |
| Military ID | Yes |
The TSA's stated policy is that it accepts identity documents that are unexpired and on its approved list. Paper interim licenses are generally not on that list — but TSA does have a process for travelers who arrive without acceptable ID, which involves additional screening and is not guaranteed to result in boarding.
States handle interim documents differently, and that creates real variation in how this issue plays out:
If you upgraded your existing license to Real ID at a DMV office, your old plastic card (if it hasn't expired) may still be usable as ID in some contexts — though a non-Real ID card no longer satisfies the federal checkpoint requirement.
Because an interim license is typically insufficient at TSA checkpoints, travelers in this situation often look to other federally accepted documents. The most common options include:
If you have a valid passport, it remains the most straightforward backup when your permanent Real ID card is still in transit.
Some states include explicit guidance on their DMV websites or on the interim document itself about whether it can be used for federal identification purposes. That language — or the absence of it — is one of the clearest signals of what the document can and cannot do.
If your permanent card hasn't arrived and you have travel scheduled, the relevant questions are specific to your state: What does your interim document say on its face? Does your state DMV publish guidance on using interim credentials for air travel? Do you have another federally accepted ID available?
Those answers don't come from a general overview of how interim licenses work — they come from your state's DMV and TSA's current published policies. Both are the authoritative sources on what will and won't clear a federal security checkpoint on the day you're flying.