Fight For REAL ID Appointments Intensifies In NJ As Deadline Nears

NEW JERSEY — Demand is high for in-person appointments at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission as the deadline for REAL ID approaches, with residents looking to renew or update their driver licenses and state IDs.

Garden State residents who are 18 and older must show a REAL ID, a passport, or other federally-approved identification to board domestic flights or enter certain federal buildings when enforcement begins on May 7. The REAL ID Act of 2005 does not affect those who only need their ID for driving purposes or identification, and does not apply to those under 18.

"Over the last few months, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in demand for REAL ID from our customers, and we’ve repeatedly added and reallocated appointments to better meet that demand,” Acting NJMVC Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-Floyd said earlier this month.

Frustrated residents have been sounding off on social media that they have been unable to find appointments nearby — or at all — particularly if they do not need to renew their driver license or state ID. One Facebook user said he has been checking the website daily for the past few months to get a REAL ID in time for an upcoming trip, and has not been able to get an appointment.

All appointments must be made online, and done in-person at one of the MVC license centers around the state. The NJMVC website only showed three non-renewal appointments available on Tuesday morning.

Some other residents called for the MVC to bring back walk-in appointments.

"I really miss the good old days when you could just show up and wait in line and there was always an agency open on Saturday in a reasonable distance," one woman wrote on the MVC's Facebook page.

The MVC has issued about 1.3 million REAL ID-compliant licenses and IDs as of March 24, a spokesperson told Patch. Licensing centers will continue to issue REAL ID on and after May 7.

"The upcoming enforcement date is most relevant for those New Jerseyans who plan to fly domestically in the short term and do not have a form of identification that will meet federal requirements," spokesperson William Connolly told Patch.

So, if you've been scrambling to find an appointment, here is where things stand:

The MVC said it has been adding about 3,000 new appointments in the online scheduler every day to accommodate the "historically high" demand for services. Also, the agency said another 4,500 appointments will be added weekly through the "REAL ID Thursdays" program; the next one is March 27.

The NJMVC will also host several REAL ID Mobile Unit events on Saturdays, starting April 5.

"The 'REAL ID Thursdays' program added over 43,000 appointments recently, and new Mobile Unit appointments will be brought online as we continue to coordinate events with local hosts across the state and add appointments for the new Saturday Mobile Unit events," Connolly said.

It's the non-renewal appointments that have been so hard to find, as those who need to renew their license or non-driver ID in the next three months have thousands of appointments to choose from. As of Tuesday morning, MVC locations in Bayonne, Camden, Delanco, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Newark, Rio Grande, Salem, Vineland, and West Deptford all have in-person appointments available in March or April.

Federal agencies, including the TSA, will begin REAL ID enforcement on May 7. Agencies may choose to phase in enforcement, but TSA officials have been urging people to upgrade their licenses sooner rather than later "to facilitate a smooth transition."

To get a REAL ID in New Jersey, you must bring two proofs of residential address, one proof of Social Security Number and six points of ID (a U.S. Passport or birth certificate counts for four points; one-point forms of ID include a high school diploma, social security card, bank/credit union statement, debit card, property tax statement and more).

A REAL ID is $35, while a standard New Jersey license or ID is $24.