Why did TSA ask for 2nd ID?
 

I fly nearly weekly, almost entirely domestic (USA) and have cleared Precheck many hundreds of times. Recently on a departure from BOS to ORD the TSA agent scanned my driver license as usual, then asked for a second form of ID. I know FL licenses sometimes are hard to scan so I asked "Is my license not scanning?" and was told it did scan properly, but the screen instructed him to ask for a second form of ID. He could not give me a reason, just that the computer told him to ask for it. I've cleared security with that very same license hundreds of times with no issue. License expiration is 4 years out so it's not like it's about to expire.

Any idea why a second ID would have been requested? I always keep my passport with me in a separate bag in case I lose my wallet so no big deal, but it's kept me scratching my head since.

That's concerning. I only have two government-issued IDs and I never travel with both at the same time. I have bank cards, but nothing with my photo on it.

Yes, it's required. You have go get new travel driver license. Your license is expired already. You have go to MVD. You can make an appointment. You have filled the forms. You need get 2 things. Passport and driver license, too. When they mailing a new travel driver license within 1 or 2 weeks.

Is your license RealID compliant? TSA isn't supposed to require RealID compliant ID (the current deadline is May 23, 2023, but it's been extended multiple times), but it's possible that was the problem. If the ID scanner was looking for a RealID compliant license and your isn't compliant, it would prompt for a second ID.

I suspect that this is how the RealID compliance thing will work once it's actually put into place, whether it's in place next year or delayed again.

In a way it's unfortunate that OP had a passport handy, as it would be good to know what "second form of ID" would have been accepted, and what they would have done if you didn't have one. I'm not too concerned -- I have to assume a random credit card with name (but no photo) would be sufficient, and if you didn't have even that they might just flag for extra scrutiny. That's all I have with me for a domestic trip, as I suspect is the case for a very significant percentage of travelers, so it's really not possible that they'd deny passage in that case.

Sometime before May 3 next year I will start carrying my passport card also (got my last DL renewal during COVID so didn't go in to get it turned into RealID this cycle), but they really can't be requiring that until then.

He said his license doesn't expire for 4 more years

Actually, ReadID compliant deadline is on May 3, 2023, not May 23, 2023.

When the TSA has asked my travel party members or me for additional ID, it’s been for different reasons: 1) they didn’t believe the ID was really legitimate and valid for the presenting traveler and perhaps otherwise doubted the identity of the passenger; 2) they weren’t familiar with the ID and wanted something with which they were more familiar; 3) they were lazy and wanted an ID they could more easily scan to work with their computerized feedback from ID scan; 4) other identity confusion; 5) wanted passports for ID because the non-passport ID shown to TSA was presented in conjunction with international flight; and/or 6) they seemed to want to try to just hassle the passenger or maybe even to trigger the passenger into a “suspect” type of behavior.

I'm wondering if there was an issue with the software inside the card scanner or the supporting application.
Software updates will mess things up.
When I went to the CA DMV to get RealID, their card scanner couldn't read the U.S. Passport Card I presented to them so they asked if I had anything else, I had to ask the representative to allow me to return home to get the book version. Luckily I lived close and knew where my book was stashed so I was able return and get the entire thing done within 45 min. I suspected that my U.S. Passport Card was too glossy so the scanner (or the software) couldn't read it, which was mailed to me a few months earlier due to the laminate with picture and personal information peeling off the card. And all this time I was watching them scan my U.S. Passport Card.

I never carry my US Passport book or card with me inside the US. I used to carry the passport card with me, but it ceased to be useful to me anymore as GE can do the same thing (and more) and no longer need it to enter Mexico.
That and as U.S. Citizen I'm not required to carry these documents, and if questioned at a Border Patrol checkpoint, I can easily answer this question.

Does anyone know how the barcode shows whether it's a Real ID? I just scanned the barcode on my drivers license and it doesn't seem to say anything about Real ID except maybe "Compliance Type: F", and I'm not sure what that is.

What scanner app do you use? I have a recent non-real-ID DL and can see what mine shows.

I use the Cognex Barcode Scanner app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/barcod...rs/id504201315). One of the toggles in the settings it to turn on barcode parsing for driver licenses.

An educated guess is that "Compliance Type: F" means that your license meets the Federal standards for real ID.

In California non-Real ID compliant licenses and identification cards have the notation "Federal Limits Apply" to indicate that they do not meet the standards of the REAL ID Act.

The list of acceptable ID's is on their web site. Pretty easy to find, takes only a moment. Its a pretty extensive list, just a quick look and I have 4 of them, somewhere around here.

TSORon

Right, and my question is, after presenting one ID on that list (my current valid driver's license) as required, if someone is asked for a "2nd ID", many/most of us simply wouldn't have a second item on the list with us. I happen to have more at home, but I don't carry them for domestic travel, and many travelers don't have a passport/GE at all. I'm not aware of any general requirement to carry more than one ID. So, had OP not happened to have a passport there, what would have happened? Would the agent have wanted to see other random info not on the list (credit cards etc), accepted the "No, I don't have anything else" answer and let him through, or what? I find it hard to believe that someone with a valid ID would just be denied boarding and sent home.