EDITORIAL: Last call for REAL IDs. No, really this time

Well, after 19 years of "just kidding" deadlines, the REAL ID requirement is finally happening. Today is the last day before they become a requirement for getting through airport security. Sort of. Maybe.  

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says you'll still be able to fly without one, but you might get shuffled into the dreaded "special screening" line. And let's be honest — nobody wants to be that person holding up their entire family vacation because they didn't get the memo. 

So what exactly is this magical star-studded ID card everyone's talking about? Think of it as your regular driver's license, but with better security features and an origin story involving the 9/11 Commission. 

They were enacted in 2005 and were supposed to roll out in 2008, but since we’re talking about the federal government here, it took about two decades to actually implement them. 

Not sure if you already have one? Look for a star in the corner of your license — that's the universal symbol for "I won't cause a scene at TSA." 

Getting your REAL ID does involve that most dreaded of adult activities — a trip to the DMV with a folder full of documents. But consider the alternative: Explaining to your kids why you're getting the extra-special pat-down while they're already racing toward the airport Cinnabon. 

The government says 81% of travelers are already using acceptable identification. Don't be in the 19% wondering why everyone else is sailing through security while you're fumbling through your phone for digital copies of your birth certificate. 

So check your wallet, check your Idaho DMV website and maybe check your attitude about government deadlines. After nearly two decades of crying wolf, this REAL ID requirement is actually happening. 

Or maybe not. But why risk it? Your future travel plans (and the people standing in line behind you) will thank you.