The May 7 national deadline for having a Real ID is finally almost here.

Twenty years ago, Congress mandated minimum national standards for all state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, a recommendation of the detailed commission report on the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The deadline has been pushed back multiple times, but it’s finally time to get real. In Maryland, 99% of people already are, according to the Motor Vehicle Administration.

But for the 1%ers out there, the clock is ticking.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is Real ID and why do I need one?

It’s any identification card that isn’t fake ... just kidding.

In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act to establish minimum security standards for identity documents. It came in the wake of the massive report on 9/11, published in 2004, that detailed how members of Al Qaeda used falsified documents to travel internationally and even obtained U.S. driver’s licenses.

Starting May 7, those looking to enter many federal buildings, fly on a commercial airplane or enter a nuclear power plant will be required to show one. A passport or passport card counts, but older state-issued licenses may not until reissued to Real ID standards.

The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, announced earlier this month that full enforcement begins May 7, and that travelers without one can expect delays, additional security screening or even being denied boarding.

Nationally, about 81% of travelers were already using Real ID-compliant identification as of April 11, according to the agency.

How do I find out if my Maryland license is a Real ID?

Just look at your Maryland driver’s license. If it has a small white star in a black circle on the upper right side, you are most likely good to go.

The MVA has an online tool if you want to double check. Just follow this link and enter your driver’s license or identification number, and it will let you know whether you’re really Real ID-compliant.

If your license will soon expire, make sure to check whether it was already Real ID-compliant — if so, you may be able to renew online.

If your license was issued in another state, check with its corresponding agency. The federal Department of Homeland Security has a handy map with links to info for each state and territory, including the District of Columbia.

Shoot, I don’t have it! What do I do?

You’ll need to make an appointment to head into an MVA office to renew your license or identification. You can schedule one at this link.

You’ll need to bring documents that show each of the four following criteria:

1. Proof of age and identity with one of the following: U.S. birth certificate or passport, permanent resident card, adoption records or certificate of citizenship. A hospital birth certificate or birth registration card doesn’t work.
2. Proof of Social Security with one of the following: a Social Security card (or official duplicate), a work W-2, a 1099 form or pay stubs that are less than three months old. They have to show your full name and full Social Security number.
3. Proof of Maryland residency with one of the following: a vehicle registration card, a bank statement, an insurance card, a utility bill, a copy of a signed lease with your landlord or mortgage statement, or a phone/cable bill.
4. A second proof of Maryland residency with the same full name and address.

Additional examples of documents that could serve are available on the MVA’s website here. For your teenager whose name isn’t on the BGE bill, there’s an additional form to fill out that can serve as proof of residency.

And what if I lost or misplaced those documents or I recently changed my name?

You will go to jail. (Again, just kidding.)

You’ll have to get new ones. That will mean requesting them from the corresponding agency — the state health department if it’s a new birth certificate you need, the Social Security Administration if it’s the small blue card, etc. — before heading to your appointment.

You also can get a certified copy of your birth certificate at select MVA branches in Annapolis, Baltimore, Essex, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Largo and Salisbury.

Legal name change? Just have those documents — marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, etc. — ready, too.

The MVA does not impose penalties for missing the deadline, an agency representative told The Baltimore Banner in an email.

What about non-citizens? How does this affect them?

Immigrants with temporary status like TPS or DACA, or those waiting on their permanent residency “green card” to be issued after adjusting status (like asylees or special immigrant juveniles, for example) can use their federally issued work permit as proof of identity.

Those without lawful status can still get a Maryland driver’s license — it just won’t be Real ID-compliant.

Maryland is one of more than a dozen states that allow people without a valid immigration status to get a driver’s license or identification card. They have to show Maryland residency and provide proof of filing taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for at least the previous two years in order to obtain one.

Such ID cards typically indicate that they do not serve for federal identification purposes.

And after May 7 that could pose problems for flying.