An Indiana REAL ID looks like a standard Indiana driver’s license or identification card with one distinguishing mark: a black star outline cut into the upper right corner of the card. That star is the only feature that separates a REAL ID-compliant Indiana credential from a non-compliant one, and it tells TSA agents and other federal officials that the holder cleared the verification required by the REAL ID Act of 2005.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
The Star in the Upper Right Corner
Look at the top right of the card. A black star outline there means the credential is REAL ID compliant. No star means it is a standard Indiana license or ID that will not be accepted at airport security or in federal buildings that require a compliant ID.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Overview
There is one variation to know about. If the cardholder is a non-citizen with temporary lawful status in the United States, the word “Temporary” appears in the upper right corner in place of the star. These credentials are limited-term and tied to the length of the person’s authorized stay.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
What Appears on the Rest of the Card
Everything else on an Indiana REAL ID is what you would expect on any state-issued credential. The card shows your full legal name, residential address, date of birth, gender, height, weight, and eye color. A large primary photograph sits on the left side.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
Two small design elements tell you which type of credential you are holding. A driver’s license carries a blue Indy car graphic on the face of the card. A standalone identification card carries a red cardinal in that spot instead.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
Horizontal or Vertical Depending on Age
The card’s orientation depends on the holder’s age. If you are 21 or older, the card is printed horizontally in the standard landscape layout. If you are under 21, the card is printed vertically and includes text indicating when the holder will turn 18 and 21. The vertical layout is an immediate visual cue for bartenders, cashiers, and law enforcement that the person in front of them may not be of legal drinking age.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
A probationary driver’s license expires at midnight 30 days after your 21st birthday, and renewing after that date triggers an administrative penalty from the BMV. The renewal produces the horizontal version automatically; there is no separate upgrade step from vertical to horizontal.4Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License
Security Features That Confirm the Card Is Real
Several anti-counterfeiting features are built into every Indiana credential, and knowing them helps you confirm a card is authentic (or spot one that has been altered).3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
A matching “ghost” image of the primary photograph is printed on both the front and the back of the card. Tilt the card in good light and that ghost image shifts from grey to gold. The date of birth appears in three places that must all match: printed on the front, printed again on the back in the top left corner, and raised as tactile numbers along the bottom edge of the card face.
The photograph area has overlapping graphics and wording printed in both standard and ultraviolet ink, with additional UV elements that only appear under a black light. Background outlines on the card face act as optically variable devices, flashing in and out of visibility as the card is turned; they should not stay consistently bright at any angle. If the card feels bumpy near the photo or birth date, or you can feel raised edges or glue lines, those are signs it has been tampered with.
Front and Back
Both sides of the card carry information. The front holds the star, the photograph, personal details, the Indy car or cardinal graphic, and the raised tactile date of birth along the bottom. The back repeats the date of birth in the top left corner and carries the second ghost photograph, along with the usual machine-readable zones and barcode information needed by law enforcement and verification systems.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana Driver’s License and ID Card Security and Authenticity
If Your Indiana License Doesn’t Have the Star
A license without a star in the upper right corner is a non-compliant Indiana credential. It still works as a driver’s license on the road, but since REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, it will not get you through a TSA checkpoint or into a federal facility that requires compliant ID.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Overview5Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Documentation Checklist
Indiana does not currently participate in the TSA’s digital ID program, and the state has not yet launched a mobile driver’s license despite authorizing legislation passed in 2019.6Transportation Security Administration. Participating States and Eligible Digital IDs The physical card with the black star is what you need to carry.