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[_19disnA]

The Real ID requirement has been a known entity for several years, even if the deadlines have been extended a few times. As with anything involving a deadline, there are likely people who always wait until the last minute and then want to blame their long wait times on anything other than their procrastination. I upgraded mine a few years and it was no big deal. As I recall, there was some other documentation I had to get and they had a separate line for those returning so you didn't just go to the end of the line. People are given a number when they arrive and there is a seating area where you can wait. You get served based on the order of the number you were given, but like others have said, the exact process probably varies from one state to the other.

 

[mjkacmom]

The Real ID requirement has been a known entity for several years, even if the deadlines have been extended a few times. As with anything involving a deadline, there are likely people who always wait until the last minute and then want to blame their long wait times on anything other than their procrastination. I upgraded mine a few years and it was no big deal. As I recall, there was some other documentation I had to get and they had a separate line for those returning so you didn't just go to the end of the line. People are given a number when they arrive and there is a seating area where you can wait. You get served based on the order of the number you were given, but like others have said, the exact process probably varies from one state to the other.

Real ID was enacted in 2005, it became available in NJ in September 2019. At that time, there were no appointments in NJ for any service, and lines were hours long. Then COVID hit, closed down, and with the start up, they started appointments, but they were very hard to get for anything. Licenses were able to be renewed online, so many chose that route rather than waiting at the MVC for hours (I had to renew in person, appointment, 3 hours). It like how folks put off colonoscopies.

 

[Magical2017]

Aside from travel and access to certain federal facilities (including, as I’ve read, nuclear plants), the Real ID requirement shouldn't affect most people who don’t have one by May 7th. You can still drive without a Real ID. Not everyone has a passport, but for those who do, it can still be used for travel. They will also accept other forms of identification for domestic travel. We both have ours, so I am not sure of the wait times in our area right now.

 

[bcla]

Aside from travel and access to certain federal facilities (including, as I’ve read, nuclear plants), the Real ID requirement shouldn't affect most people who don’t have one by May 7th. You can still drive without a Real ID. Not everyone has a passport, but for those who do, it can still be used for travel. They will also accept other forms of identification for domestic travel. We both have ours, so I am not sure of the wait times in our area right now.

Sure. However, Real ID as a standard only applies to regular driver licenses and state/territorial IDs. Enhanced driver licenses and IDs have a different standard for documentation, but they're accepted as an alternative to a Real ID DL/ID.

There's a whole host of identification that will be accepted by TSA for domestic travel within the US. Apparently tribal ID from a federally recognized tribe is included even though none have a Real ID requirement.

This has been a real mess for years though. They kept on pushing the enforcement date further and further where they gave waivers to every state/territory that asked for one.