Real ID Deadline Less Than 2 Months Away: How To Prepare In NJ

NEW JERSEY — After years of preparation and several delays, the final deadline for New Jersey residents to obtain a REAL ID is less than two months away.

New Jersey residents who are 18 and older must show a REAL ID, a passport or other federally approved identification to board domestic flights or certain federal buildings when enforcement begins on May 7.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is offering dedicated events in March and April to give residents more opportunities to get their REAL ID, as they have seen a "historically high" demand for appointments as the deadline inches closer. Online appointments have been scarce since the new year, so the MVC instituted "REAL ID Thursdays" to focus on customers who need or want to get one, beginning on March 20.

And, AAA is also urging frequent domestic travelers to update their traditional license to a REAL ID before they finalize their travel plans, even if they don't need one just to buy a ticket.

“The key to making the REAL ID process as smooth as possible is preparation and arriving at appointments with all the right documents,” said Shani Jarvis, Outreach Manager for AAA Northeast. “Travelers should also know that they do not need a REAL ID simply to purchase airline tickets after the deadline, but will need to have a REAL ID to board any domestic flight after May 7.”

AAA also warned residents to be wary of fake MVC sites that may appear official, and to always look for websites that end in ".gov" when looking for more information.

More than 1.2 million New Jersey residents have already gotten a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, an MVC spokesperson told Patch in late February.

All REAL ID appointments must be in-person through the MVC. Anyone who holds a driver license in the Garden State can update it to a REAL ID when they go to renew, or by making a non-renewal appointment. Those who do not have a standard New Jersey license can get their REAL ID at a non-driver ID appointment or an out-of-state transfer appointment, if they recently moved.

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. They are distinguishable from a regular New Jersey driver’s license because a REAL ID has a gold circle with a white star in the middle of the circle. That’s a shorthand way of saying a person’s citizenship and legal residence status have been verified.

The Department of Homeland Security has extended the deadline for REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses multiple times, most recently in late 2022. Federal agencies, including the TSA, will begin REAL ID enforcement on May 7. Agencies may choose to phase in enforcement, but TSA officials urge people to upgrade their licenses now "to facilitate a smooth transition."

Homeland Security officials said COVID-19 pandemic-related backlogs have slowed states’ progress in issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses.

The REAL ID isn't a substitute for a passport required for international travel, and it also doesn't affect the ability to vote or register to vote, apply for federal benefits, enter federal facilities that don't require identification, obtain medical care, or participate in police proceedings or investigations.

Related:

• NJ Launches 'REAL ID Thursdays' Ahead Of May 7 Deadline
• REAL ID Appointments Going Fast In NJ: How To Get One