Hi. I found this board through google and I need some help!

I lost my drivers license a little over 3 weeks ago. I immediately went down to my local DMV here in the DFW, TX area and paid for my new one. They gave me my temp. paper one.

Problem is, I am boarding a flight on Wed morning with my husband from DFW to LAS. Under normal processing, 3 weeks would have been enough time to get my official card in the mail. But Texas is undergoing a change in the way they do their licenses so processing times were being delayed. I still won�t have it by Wednesday.

The only forms of picture ID that I have are my work ID badge, and Sam�s card. I will also have with me a photocopy of the lost license (thanks to my HR department), my birth certificate, my SS card and my marriage license!

How much more time do you think I will need to allow at the checkpoint Wed morning? Our flight departs at 910 am and I plan on getting to the airport around 630am. We are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary and I don�t want anything to ruin our trip!!

Thanks for the help,

Jenn in Dallas

You sound like you've got some backup documentation so that shouldn't be an issue. I would recommend getting there 2 hours before your flight takes off because you don't know how much trouble TSA might give you.

Arrive 2 hours beforehand, explain to them that you lost your license. Offer any other ID and they should be able to let you through after some public record questions.

Put some Chapstick on your lips and kiss the ID checker's butt and everything will be just fine.

Sorry if that sounds crass but that is what is what it has been reduced to.

Thank you, I have never flown without my DL....I've been really worried about it.

No one but the IRS, your employers/ banks, and credit-monitoring agencies have any right to know your social security number or see your card.

However, it's extremely helpful to identity thieves.

It's of little use under TSA rules anyway, because it lacks your birthdate, gender, picture, or an expiration date (all of which are "required" for usable ID). SS cards are also so easy to forge that older ones said "Not to be Used for Identification" right on the card!

Keep your SS card in a secure place: don't carry it or show it casually, particularly to TSA! I wouldn't carry birth certificate or marriage license originals either: losing those will cause problems for the rest of your life, or at least until the worst of the Patriot Act idiocy is corrected.

Do you have a passport? That is sufficient, and doesn't disclose your home address to people who might be interested to know you won't be home. Occasionally I fly domestically without my driver's license or passport, but carry other ID with some of the information they want. Usually it gets referred to a supervisor, but I have flown without being asked invasive public record questions. YMMV�if your departure airport has a bad rep, allow extra time.

Good luck, Jenn, and have a great anniversary!

Please report back to us on your experience with flying without "government-issued ID."

Leave your birth and marriage certificates at home - no need for TSA to see either - and as previous poster suggested, DO NOT show them your social security card.

P.S. Happy Anniversary and have a great trip!

"It's of little use under TSA rules anyway, because it lacks your birthdate, gender, picture, or an expiration date (all of which are "required" for usable ID). SS cards are also so easy to forge that older ones said "Not to be Used for Identification" right on the card!"

I have an ID from the NIH that I use to fly with. I NEVER show my DL (except at the airline counter where it makes sense). It has my name and an expiration date (August 2009; not even a specific day). I don't take it out of the plastic sleeve either. They look at it, use the loupe and light and then I'm cleared to go. So the "rules" have a bit of stretch. I hate showing ID, but this is pared down to the bones and doesn't give any info I don't mind them knowing...well i mind, but i hate DY...T...which i got last week because i didn't want to take my watch off.

Anyway, OP, you'll be ok. have a good trip.

Jean:
Welcome to FT. As some one else pointed out leave the SS card at home, no reason to carry it. As others have said you will be ok. Arrive 2 hours early & CONGRADULATIONS have a great trip.

I don't suggest taking your birth certificate, social security card, or marriage license with you.

There's no requirement for you to present any identification documents to TSA, only the requirement that you not assert your right to fly without such identification. It's okay for you to say your ID was misplaced or stolen, just not for you to say, "I'd prefer not to show it to you because I know I'm not required to and it's important for us to maintain our ability to travel without getting permission from our government."

TSA prefers to keep most of their policies secret (presumably so bad people will go ahead and do dangerous things and then get caught) but they have published some information about their airport ID policy that went into effect last summer.

For a great summary of that policy, see this analysis of the policy by Daniel J. Solove, or Bruce Schneier's L.A. Times op-ed.