Have a flight coming up and no REAL ID? How to get one before the deadline

Twenty years successful the making, the 2005 REAL ID Act is yet going into effect connected May 7.

The act, passed amid different progressively choky information measures pursuing 9/11, established that Americans would request recognition that met "minimum information standards for state-issued driver's licenses and recognition cards."

It besides prohibited national agencies from accepting recognition from states that did not conscionable those standards, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Actual implementation of the regulations yet took 2 decades, hitting respective roadworthy bumps on the way. Now that enforcement is soon to begin, however, those who bash not unafraid a compliant ID successful clip volition soon beryllium incapable to participate national facilities oregon committee home flights.

Have a formation coming up and nary REAL ID connected hand? Here's what to cognize astir trying to get 1 successful a pinch.

Is determination a deadline for REAL ID?

Yes. Travelers indispensable person a REAL ID to alert domestically connected oregon aft May 7, 2025.

After the deadline passes, travelers tin usage acceptable alternative forms of ID, including passports, subject IDs, tribal federation and Indian people IDs oregon an Enhanced Driver’s License (only disposable successful Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont) for home travel.

How bash you get a REAL ID?

Procedures are antithetic betwixt states, truthful it's important to cheque your section requirements. Often, getting a REAL ID volition necessitate you to spell to your section DMV with the due documents and implicit the process successful person. This usually involves providing an bureau worker with your papers, filling retired a form, answering questions, paying a interest and for some, taking a caller photo.

What's the fastest mode to get a REAL ID earlier the deadline?

Because states are handling the process individually, your quality to get a REAL ID connected the alert volition alteration widely.

If you request an in-person appointment, further documents oregon unrecorded successful a densely populated area, your timeline whitethorn beryllium antithetic than those who tin statesman the process online, locomotion successful without an assignment oregon unrecorded successful little populated areas.

Some states, similar Texas, supply a assets to cheque however agelong your hold could beryllium successful advance. Getting an assignment successful Alpine, for example, would lone instrumentality astir 2 to 3 days arsenic of April 28, versus Bastrop, which had a 43 to 44-day hold time. Comparing assignment availability and in-office hold clip of respective section driver's license/ID offices could assistance you find a determination with a quicker turnaround time.

Some states are spreading the labour not lone betwixt offices but are gathering Americans extracurricular of the DMV, specified arsenic the April 27 yearly New York International Auto Show successful Manhattan, wherever unit were connected tract processing REAL ID applications.

Others, specified arsenic New Jersey, person created protocols specifically for getting radical with upcoming question plans their caller IDs quickly.

The state's "REAL ID Emergency Issuance Program" launched connected April 24, is for "qualified customers who request to committee a home formation wrong 14 days for life-or-death reasons oregon for urgent question plans and bash not person an acceptable signifier of recognition to wide TSA checkpoints," according to a New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission property release.

If each other fails, cheque the (relatively long) database of acceptable alternate forms of ID to usage successful the meantime.

What documents bash you request for a REAL ID?

Travelers volition request to amusement documents with the pursuing successful bid to get a REAL ID-compliant licence oregon ID, per the DHS:

• Proof of identity: A U.S. commencement certificate, U.S. passport, oregon Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) if you are a non-U.S. citizen.

• Proof of a Social Security number: A Social Security card, Form W-2, wage stub oregon paycheck from your occupation that confirms this information.

• Proof of residency: A deed, owe statement, lease agreement, inferior bill, oregon slope connection to beryllium you are a authorities nonmigratory volition beryllium required by immoderate DMVs.

"States whitethorn enforce further requirements, truthful cheque with your state’s driver’s licensing bureau website, earlier visiting them successful person, for further guidance and assistance," the DHS said on its website.

At minimum, you volition beryllium required to amusement documents proving your afloat ineligible name, day of birth, Social Security number, 2 proofs of code and lawful status.

Can you get a REAL ID online?

Rules for obtaining a REAL ID alteration from authorities to state. In immoderate states, specified arsenic Pennsylvania,  California, New York and Virginia, radical seeking a REAL ID tin prequalify oregon use online, past implicit the process successful person.

Some states, like Texas, Michigan and Oklahoma, implicit the full process successful idiosyncratic with nary online component.

Can you get a REAL ID online? What to cognize arsenic the May 7 deadline approaches

How agelong volition it instrumentality to get my REAL ID?

The clip it takes to person a REAL ID volition beryllium connected the authorities issuing it. In some, you volition person to hold for an appointment, portion others whitethorn let walk-ins but astatine the outgo of extra-long lines.

Regardless, DMVs crossed the state person been experiencing agelong hold times and congestion arsenic radical unreserved to get theirs earlier the deadline.

"If you request a REAL ID-compliant credential for an upcoming trip, delight let capable clip earlier to person your hard transcript successful the mail," Tennessee's Department of Safety and Homeland Security said on its website, for example. "The hard transcript volition get successful 10-20 days astatine the mailing code you provided."

In New York City, 2 USA TODAY reporters recovered that the soonest disposable appointments to get a REAL ID were much than a period distant arsenic of April 28.

Connecticut’s Department of Motor Vehicles, meanwhile, advises residents that hard copies volition get "within 20 concern days" of their appointment.

Contributing: James Powel, Nathan Diller, USA TODAY

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected USA TODAY: The REAL ID deadline is approaching: How to get 1 quickly