Real ID Deadlines Rapidly Approaching

With the last push of the deadline to get your Real ID from May 3rd 2023 to May 7th, 2025, many chose to wait to update their ID. Now, the nearly two-decade law is finally going to be taking effect.

The REAL ID Act was originally passed in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terror attacks to "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses and identification cards." The act established security standards for IDs to keep various federal facilities, such as government buildings and nuclear power plants, as well as federally regulated flights as secure as possible.

With the final deadline approaching, the time to upgrade your old ID to a Real ID is quickly approaching, and DMVs across the country are struggling to handle the large uptake in people trying to update. However, many locations are doing their best to get as many people helped in time for the May 7th deadline.

Some states, like New Jersey, Illinois, and Tennessee are bulking up their available appointment times, with New Jersey implementing "REAL ID Thursdays", holding 4,500 appointments around the whole state every Thursday through the end of April. Tennessee has a handful of Driver Services Centers opening on Saturdays just for Real ID appointments, meanwhile, Illinois is doing the same as well as running a "Real ID Supercenter" in the Loop in Chicago.

Other states like Michigan and Mississippi seem to have an already high number of license and ID holders that already have an updated ID, allowing them a much smoother last few months leading into the deadline change.

Meanwhile, there are states like Florida that aren't as lucky, with lines so long that officials say can be a problem through 2027. Also in Florida, a new issue has arisen in "appointment scalpers" where one phone number takes up as many appointments as possible, sometimes in the hundreds, and then sells the reservation slot.

The Federal requirements to get a Real ID include documents that how your full legal name, your date of birth, your social security number, two proofs of address, and lawful status. Outside of that, some states have other requirements including appointments, specific documents, and more, so be sure to check what your specific state may require before making an appointment.