Majority Of IL Secretary of State Locations Now Offering Appointments

ILLINOIS — Illinois motorists who are looking to save time the next time they visit a Secretary of State office to renew their driver’s license or take a driving time are now able to pre-book an appointment rather than wait in line.

The Secretary of State’s office recently announced that drivers are now able to make appointments up to 10 days in advance of when they are scheduled to visit a Department of Motor Vehicles location.

Appointments are not required, a spokesman for the agency told Patch, but pre-booking a time to take care of most driver services is being recommended.

All of the Secretary of State locations around the greater Chicago area are now offering appointments, the spokesman said. The only transaction that cannot be done by appointment are those involving the sale or purchase of a vehicle, the agency said on its website.

Appointments may be made the same day as a visit is scheduled, the agency said.

Residents are encouraged to ensure that they have the correct paperwork with them to obtain a new driver’s license or REAL ID, which will be required of all residents by May of 2025. Initially, the deadline to obtain a REAL ID was this month, but officials extended the timelineafter the COVID-19 pandemic created a backlog of work for state workers.

In Illinois, the process of obtaining a Real ID has not changed even though the deadline has. Many Chicago-area Secretary of State locations offer appointments to obtain the Real ID where Illinois locations in more rural locations do not offer appointments.

As of last October, more than 2.9 million Illinois residents had obtained their Real ID cards before the deadline was extended once again by federal officials.

Residents must provide proof of identity. (Examples include a certified U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, an employment authorization document, a permanent resident card, or a foreign passport with an approved I-94 form.) Name change documents, such as certified copies of a marriage certificate, and other documents will be required if the applicant presents a certified birth certificate with a name different from his/her current name.