Pictured is a sample Pennsylvania driver's license. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Americans will have more time to get a Real ID which they will need eventually to board a flight or enter federal facilities. The Real ID deadline was extended until May 3, 2023.

The Department of Homeland Security has delayed enforcement requiring REAL ID for travelers to get through airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel.

According to a news release from the department, the enforcement date has been pushed from Oct. 1 to May 3, 2023, an extension of more than 19 months.

The coronavirus pandemic slowed departments of transportation in different states in issuing travelers with REAL IDs, making the delay necessary, officials said.

Only 43% of all state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards are currently REAL ID-compliant, according to the news release.

Come the effective date, air travelers 18 and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver's license or another Transportation Security Administration-acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel, according to the Department of Homeland Security.