SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For people scrambling in the Ozarks to get a REAL ID before May of 2023, they will now have some more time.

Monday the Department of Homeland Security announced the deadline is pushed back two years to May 2025.

Locally, air travelers are reacting to the news.

“I was just so busy, I hadn’t had the chance to do it,” said a flyer talking about getting a REAL ID. “So that will be, you know, awesome that I have time to go get it now.”Another traveler said it’s a hassle to get it done in the first place.”

They can keep delaying for it all of eternity, in my opinion,” said an air traveler. “I started the process and it’s very difficult. You have to have all your ducks in a row in order to get it.”

Kent Boyd, with the Springfield – Branson National Airport, explained why the new regulations were created.

“It came in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001,” said Boyd. “Congress passed the REAL ID Act with the idea that they wanted to make it harder for terrorists to get a driver’s license or they wanted to make it harder for people to make a fake driver’s license.”

But over the years, and multiple REAL ID deadline delays, Boyd said getting the word out about the requirement can be challenging.

“My hope is at two years we won’t have long lines here at the checkpoint with lots of people who don’t have their REAL ID,” said Boyd.

The deadline was pushed back to 2025 due to reasons surrounding COVID-19. You can find more information here.