As Scott Case realized the REAL ID deadline was approaching this week, he decided to visit his local department of motor vehicles on Monday morning.
“I’ve known about it and I’ve been putting it off, so some of it’s on me,” the frequent business traveler from Collingswood, New Jersey, admitted to CNN.
However, during the frantic final weeks before the federal government begins enforcing REAL ID regulations on Wednesday, Case and many others have discovered that obtaining one at the last minute presents significant challenges.
“I feel bad for anybody who doesn’t have a passport,” said Case as he left the DMV without securing his REAL ID.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to enhance identification security, establishing new minimum standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and IDs. While individuals without REAL IDs can still drive using their current non-compliant licenses and use them for other identification purposes, the law mandates that those wishing to fly domestically must possess a REAL ID, a valid passport, or another approved form of identification.
A sign by the door of the Motor Vehicle Commission office in Camden, New Jersey, informs residents that they need to book appointments in advance. Danny Freeman/CNN
After years of delaying the deadline for Americans to obtain a REAL ID, the Department of Homeland Security is set to finally begin enforcement on May 7.
Flying without a REAL ID
Wednesday is not the final deadline to obtain a REAL ID – it is simply the date the new air travel requirement takes effect. Individuals can still apply for and receive a REAL ID after this date.
Furthermore, officials stated on Tuesday that passengers who arrive on Wednesday without a REAL ID will still be permitted to fly but “may” be subjected to additional screening procedures.
“We will process you (and you) will not be turned away,” Steve Lorincz, the Transportation Security Administration’s deputy executive assistant administrator for security operations, assured CNN. “It might take some additional time, but we’re going to do it efficiently. We are fully staffed at all locations across the country, so I don’t anticipate any wait times or delays as far as you’re going through the security process.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also indicated on Tuesday that those without a REAL ID would still be allowed to fly; they might simply be “diverted to a different line, have an extra step.”
Noem did not elaborate on the specifics of this extra step or how long passengers without a REAL ID will continue to be allowed to fly. CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for clarification on her statement.
Regarding whether there will come a time when individuals without acceptable forms of ID will be denied boarding, the TSA has not yet provided a definitive answer.
“The bottom line is, if (you) don’t have an acceptable form of ID such as a passport or a REAL ID, give plenty of time when you arrive to ensure you can get through everything and can get through from curb to the gate in plenty of time,” a TSA spokesperson advised on Tuesday.
Trying to Beat the Deadline
From Illinois and Washington to Florida and Alabama, Americans across the nation are encountering long lines as they rush to obtain their REAL IDs before Wednesday’s enforcement deadline.
“It’s not gonna happen,” said driver Toe Cooper, from Burlington Township, New Jersey, expressing his frustration with the process.
A sign outlining the documentation necessary to get a REAL ID hangs in the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Troy, New York, on February 19. Jim Franco/Albany Times Union/Getty Images
At the Motor Vehicle Commission – New Jersey’s equivalent of the DMV – in Camden, customers crowded the small building in a desperate attempt to secure a REAL ID.
Cooper attempted a walk-in on Monday after being unable to secure an appointment online.
“I’ve been on there every night looking. There’s nothing on there,” Cooper explained, highlighting the difficulty in finding available appointments.
“You can get an appointment for anything else, but for REAL ID it said nothing is available,” he added, underscoring the specific bottleneck with REAL ID applications.
In a statement, the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission asserted that it has been “working non-stop to help as many eligible New Jerseyans as possible” obtain a REAL ID.
“Demand is very high right now,” acknowledged commission spokesperson William Connolly, recognizing the intense pressure on the system.
“And our challenges are not unique to New Jersey – every state in the nation is facing similar pressures as enforcement approaches,” Connolly noted, indicating the nationwide scope of the issue.
The commission stated that the state is currently issuing approximately 25,000 REAL IDs per week, with “thousands of new appointments for REAL IDs opening up on our scheduler each morning on a rolling basis.”
New Jersey also has “dedicated REAL ID days” offering thousands of additional appointments and an expanded mobile unit program for driver services, including the issuance of the new IDs, he said, outlining the state’s efforts to address the surge in demand.
Despite these efforts, Cooper was unable to obtain a REAL ID without an appointment. Even those with scheduled appointments faced frustrations.
Bruce Beegal, from Brigantine, New Jersey, accompanied his daughter to the DMV on Monday for her REAL ID appointment. However, upon arrival, they were informed that they were missing one required form of identification, preventing them from completing the process.
“This is a joke,” Beegal exclaimed, expressing his disbelief and frustration with the situation. “What’s going on here, it’s terrible.”
While Beegal’s daughter possesses a passport, alleviating concerns about her ability to board a plane, he expressed his disbelief at the prospect of having to repeat this process after the REAL ID enforcement deadline passes.
