Some New Jersey residents have been able to log on to their local DMV website at midnight, when new appointments are released, and scoop up a Real ID time slot, according to a New York Times report. Being flexible and willing to go to an appointment at a DMV in another city or town within driving distance could also help score a last-minute appointment.
If you do manage to book an appointment, be sure to bring all of the necessary documents—they’re different than those required when renewing a regular driver’s license—so you won’t be turned away during your appointment and have to start the process over from scratch. The list of required documents should be available on your DMV’s website, and usually includes items such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of residence.
Travel with another type of Real ID identification
Remember, a Real ID driver’s license is just one of multiple forms of federal identification accepted at US airports under the new rules. In fact, there are 14 other types of IDs besides a Real ID driver’s license that the TSA will accept from May 7 on.
Several of these documents are ones travelers might already have on hand, including a US passport, US passport card, a foreign-issued passport, a Global Entry card, or another card from a Trusted Traveler program, like NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST. A permanent resident card or photo ID issued by a federally recognized tribal nation will also be accepted. To see the full list of acceptable IDs, visit TSA’s dedicated webpage.
As a backup, you can also upload your passport into your mobile device with apps like Google Wallet, Apple Wallet, and CLEAR. However, only select airports are able to process digital ID technology and security officers may still ask to see your physical passport.
If you don’t yet have a Real ID driver’s license but have a valid passport, at this point it’s a better move to travel with your passport on domestic flights until the Real ID appointment rush dies down.
In fact, some states are advising their residents that if they do have an alternate form of compliant identification, it’s better to simply wait until their driver’s license expires to upgrade to the Real ID version. “Californians who do not have a REAL ID but already hold a valid passport should wait to convert to a REAL ID when their driver’s license is due for renewal and use your passport instead,” the California DMV site states.
What happens if you show up to the airport with no Real ID?
For now, TSA is offering a grace period of sorts for travelers without Real ID-compliant identification. “We have other ways to verify your identity if you don’t have a REAL ID or acceptable form of ID,” the TSA wrote in a recent Reddit “Ask Me Anything” focused on the impending Real ID deadline. “[B]ut know that this process may take longer, so you’ll need to arrive at the airport early, and you should be good to go.”
