...and I'm wondering, and worried about, what will happen with this situation.   I just learned that my driver's license expired in May. Massachusetts doesn't send reminders anymore. I was at the bank withdrawing some money and the teller asked for some id. She then told me that my license had expired.
I'm going to the DMV tomorrow to renew it but I've heard that it takes up to 7 days to get a new license in the mail.
My problem is that tomorrow is Tuesday and I'm flying on Sunday. Will an expired driver's license keep me from boarding a plane? It's not a valid license, but my picture and address are legit. Have any of you run into this situation at an airport?

I have not, but I would do everything in my power to have a valid license - even if you have to pay additional for it. The TSA are getting quite ridiculous, and I wouldn't be surprised if they denied you boarding. Best thing to do - and I know this won't help for this trip - is to get a passport. Valid for 10 years.

For the most part, TSA is comparing your picture ID with your face,and then checking that the name on the ticket and/or boarding pass is consistent with what's on state-issued ID.  I would be surprised if they are checking to confirm if it's expired or not, as you are not going to "drive" the plane! If you have a passport, I would bring that just in case.  Secondary to that, I would provide the same explanation relative to the MA DMV.

Alex

many states allow renewal online & print out a receipt. I believe the DMV will do the same Jim.

In the olden days that would be acceptable for air Travel, but these days you just don't know.

Your ID is your ID & not everybody drives,

I think you can go online & check your airline flight boarding regulations.

have a safe flight

Do you have a passport?  That will work.  Most states will issue a id that looks just like your drivers license as identification.  Many older people don't drive anymore and just carry the id card which might be needed for voting and the such.

That's how I get my license renewed.

You might also bring your birth certificate if you have one.

I traveled with someone not too long ago and that was accepted by the TSA after a bunch of screwing around.

I know this...my state has a procedure that certain drivers get an automatic renewal when the license expires and they give you a "sticker" to put on the back of the DL.

I have many problems with this at certain airports with the TSA telling me my DL is expired, and then I have to show them the "cheesy" sticker.  

I would go down to your local DMV and see if you can get a state issued ID AND call your airline and see what they recommend.

A valid drivers license may or may not prevent you from flying. I would venture that most, but not all TSA agents would let you through security. Technically an expired drivers license is "not" a valid ID and a valid ID is required to board a plane in this post 9-11 world.

You might or might not get away with an expired license. I would suggest you explain your predicament to the DMV people and see if they can get you a State ID in the meantime for ID purposes. Your biggest nightmare would be if you were allowed on your outbound flight, but denied boarding on your return flight. You would be stranded in another city, unable to fly or even rent a car and might end up taking the bus home.

...for your responses. I got a temporary DL from the DMV. It's paper,sort of card stock, with my pic on it. They said that, with my expired DL, should get me through the airport.My new DL may arrive in the mail before Sunday.

GaGambler...at least I'd be stuck in Vegas!!

Just tell them you don't have an id and you'll just have to go through the extra screening. You know, the part when they put their hands all over your body....hehehe
Piece of pie!
Good luck and safe travels!

xoxo vm

In the post 9-11 world airlines do have the right to require a valid ID before allowing you to board. They may or may not accept an expired license depending on the mood of the agent, but they certainly are not required to.

FWIW, I'd let you into my cockpit any time. lol

is being stuck in Vegas after you've blown all your money. lol

of missing your flight,needing to purchase a new ticket,delays, extra security hassles etc..

When the simple solution is to renew the license(they give temp/receipt)

Then you are all set for flights & driving.

All I know is that I've done it.
But what Cathyb said, why take the risk?
I find that I don't need to do it as much any more, so traveling is a breeze for me.

Lol GaGambler....  
I'd love to play around in there....

I'd be sitting in a very tiny room for a long time while the plane took off.

Of course it is a moot point since you seem to have the issue taken care of.  The TSA website lists the requirements for a REAL ID... (federal description of minimum requirements for a state issued ID, which is in lieu of a federal ID card that was discussed shortly after 9/11), and it DOES mention 'expiration date' as a criteria.  It doesn't say you can't board if expired, but it doesn't say you can either.  So my guess is you could be SOL if they spot the exp date.

Here is what the TSA states on their site:

Effective June 21, 2008, adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID that contains the following: name, date of birth, gender, 'expiration date' and a tamper-resistant feature in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Have a safe and relaxing trip, now that we got all that squared away.

Interesting timing.... in my company, we just received a notice that we must insure that our exact name as used on driver's license must be same exact name we use to book flights and it advised that our driver's license must be valid throughout the entire timeframe of the planned travel.  No mention of what to do if we do not use a driver's license for ID.

That scares the hell out of me. How F'd up is that?

Nothing against you, hope I didn't come off that way. But, airport security SHOULD enforce regulations that are there for our protection.

and how does GAgambler & You both  "KNOW" that (xxxxxxxplaymate VM )translates to "Vanessa"?

and some pretty good ones at that.

I recently lost my ID (used my passport)  but when I was telling the TSA lady how freaked out I was when I lost it she told me I could have flown, lots of people do everyday without an ID but they go thru 10x the screening procedures.

That's all

Brennan

Vanessa is a pretty lady & that may have worked in her favor, You may have been just lucky.

The gentlemen wanted to know the best way to resolve the situation, many folks suggested fixing the core problem Ie: simply renew the license.

Your and Vanessa'a advice was like covering up body odor with cologne (rather than taking a bath).

By not fixing the problem it never goes away, every time this guy drives Or flies he will have to worry & possibly miss his flight, other hassles/costs/traffic ticket.
remember people go to jail for driving with an expired license.

I think he made  a smart decision & renewed his license (now he is good for a few years,/w no worries

Everyone, thank you very much for responding to my question.
I just arrived home from Vegas.
Ihadn't received my new license in thed mail before I left, so I carried my temporary one from the DMV, and my old license. I was worried about the temp one because it says in red lettering on it " NOT VALID FOR IDENTIFICATION", even though it has a black and white phot, name, address, etc.
At Logan airport, the airline staff barely looked at my license. The TSA person at the Gted loooked closely and said "I'll let you through, but the DMV will have a problem with this license, it's expired."
On the way home, at McCarren, the same deal with the airline staff, but the TSA guy asked me if I had another photo id because the license was expired. Ishowed him the temp one, but I folded it in half so only the photo showed, not the red lettered statement. That was good enough.
When I got home, my new license was here, delivered while I was away.

i flew out of phoenix about a year ago and had not one thing on me with my name on it.

i show my sprint cell phone which had my sprint email account which had my last name in it.

they will let you fly but they will swab every single nook and cranny of everything on you, falling just short of an anal probe and then hold the swab under the bomb juice scanner.

takes forever, like an hour.

in vegas, they were no problem, they just had me go through the air puff puff and i was done.

so it depends on the airport.

their job is to keep the flight safe so they could care less who or what you are as long as you dont have a bomb or any way to hijack the plane. ..

I on the other hand have boarded over a hundred airplanes in the year since you got on a plane without ID. I guarantee you if I had followed your advice and attempted to fly without ID I would have missed many, many of those flights.

This is the 21st century, it is foolish to travel without valid ID. The OP's situation was unique and was not of his choosing, to simply be cavalier about traveling without proper valid identification is simply unwise and potentially quite problematic.

another passenger trying to fly without proper ID,

For every careless person it increases the chances of a real threat passing by security.