Which U.S. states currently issue Enhanced Driver’s Licenses and how do their markings differ from REAL ID stars?
Executive summary
Five U.S. states — Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont — currently issue Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs), and federal authorities treat those EDLs as acceptable alternatives to REAL ID-compliant cards for boarding commercial aircraft and entering certain federal facilities [1] [2] [3]. Visually and legally EDLs are distinguished from standard REAL ID-marked licenses by a U.S. flag (or similar “enhanced” wording) on the card rather than, or in addition to, the star device that denotes REAL ID compliance in most jurisdictions [4] [5] [6].
1. Who issues Enhanced Driver’s Licenses today — the short list
The Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration identify Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont as the only U.S. states issuing Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) that function for both driving and limited international land/sea travel and that are recognized for REAL ID purposes [1] [2] [3].
2. What an EDL does that a plain REAL ID does not
EDLs are built to meet Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requirements so they permit re‑entry to the United States from Canada, Mexico and certain Caribbean destinations by land or sea without a passport, using embedded technology such as an RFID chip to assist border inspections — a capability that ordinary REAL ID cards do not provide even though both are acceptable for federal ID purposes [3] [7].
3. How markings differ: flags, stars, and hybrid cards
Most REAL ID‑compliant cards carry a star-shaped marking (sometimes shown inside a gold circle or a state silhouette) to indicate federal compliance, while EDLs typically carry a U.S. flag icon and the explicit title “ENHANCED DRIVER’S LICENSE” on the face of the card; some states print both the flag and the star or add the star on subsequent renewals, producing hybrid appearances that can confuse users and frontline workers [4] [6] [5].
4. The legal wrinkle: EDLs as “acceptable alternatives” to REAL ID stars
Federal guidance and agency FAQs make clear that EDLs issued by the five states are designated by DHS as acceptable alternatives to REAL ID‑marked cards for boarding commercial aircraft and accessing federal facilities — in effect EDLs satisfy REAL ID statutory standards even where the familiar star device is absent [1] [2] [3]. State DMV materials reinforce that enhanced cards already meet REAL ID security requirements and may be treated as REAL ID‑compliant with or without a star, though some states will add a star on renewal or replacement [5] [8].
5. Practical consequences and points of friction
Despite the official equivalence, the visual differences have produced practical confusion at checkpoints and in public guidance: TSA and state guidance sometimes emphasize the star as the quick identifier of REAL ID compliance while DHS and state pages emphasize that EDLs bearing a flag are valid, and some reporting documents incidents of inconsistent treatment by agents [9] [1]. The coexistence of star, flag, and mixed markings means travelers should check state DMV guidance and carry documentation if needed, because look‑alone inspection of a card by an unfamiliar official can trigger questions even when the card is technically acceptable [6] [10].
6. Transparency, privacy and policy trade‑offs
EDLs trade expanded border utility for additional technology—like RFID chips and data mechanisms designed to speed inspections—which DHS describes as secure but which has prompted privacy debates and policy pushback in some jurisdictions historically; states balancing traveler convenience, homeland security obligations and privacy concerns explain their choices differently, an implicit agenda that shapes whether a state adopts, retains or expands an EDL program [3] [11].