Clock is ticking to get a REAL ID nationwide — what to know in Alabama
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The deadline is coming up as REAL IDs nationwide become enforced to fly domestically on May 7, and some people say they have waited hours to get one.
Alabama's version is the STAR ID, which every citizen will need to show for domestic flights and to access federal buildings.
Saraland High School graduate arrested in Louisiana hazing death case
News 5 learned one simple step that will cut your wait time drastically: schedule an appointment with your local Alabama Law Enforcement Agency office.
'If you show up, you know, having an appointment made, it typically takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes,' ALEA Public Affairs Director Joshua Thompson said.
Exact requirements may vary by state to get these IDs. In Alabama, residents need to bring four documents: A previous license or passport, a social security number and two proofs of residency.
For the full list of documentation to bring, you can go to the ALEA website.
After the standardized eye test, photo for the license and a round of questions, News 5 learned the process took 15 minutes with the appointment.
'You're going to receive a temporary driver's license or ID card that is on a piece of paper,' Thompson said regarding what happens after that process. 'Two to four weeks, your new ID will be mailed to your address.'
Former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine announces run for mayor
If you do not plan to fly or access the federally restricted buildings anytime soon, you can skip these lines altogether.
'We want to remind the public that this is a total and complete option,' Thompson said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
4 hours ago
Jurors have convicted a Minnesota man of killing 5 young woman in a 2023 vehicle crash
MINNEAPOLIS -- A state court jury convicted a Minneapolis-area man Friday of third-degree murder and vehicular homicide in the deaths of five young women in a crash that authorities said was caused by him speeding, running a red light and slamming into their car. Jurors in Hennepin County District Court deliberated two days before reaching their verdict in the case of Derrick John Thompson, 29, of Brooklyn Park, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. In November, a federal court jury convicted Thompson on drug and firearms charges because investigators found a handgun, ammunition and illegal drugs in his vehicle after the June 2023 crash, and he is awaiting sentencing in that case. He was convicted Friday of 15 charges and his sentencing is set for July 24. Third-degree murder is unintentionally causing a death through 'eminently dangerous' actions and with 'a depraved mind, without regard for human life.' 'His choices that day scarred many lives and affected an entire community,' Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty told reporters following the verdict, according to KARE-TV. The Minneapolis crash victims — Salma Abdikadir, Siham Adam, Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade and Sagal Hersi — were between 17 and 20 years old, on their way home from preparations for a friend's wedding. Their deaths sparked sorrow and outage among Minnesota's sizeable Somali American population. Prosecutors have said Thompson was driving a black Cadillac Escalade on a Minnesota freeway at 95 mph (153 kph) in a 55 mph- (89 kph-) speed zone and abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway, flying by a state highway patrol trooper. Thompson's defense attorney, Tyler Bliss, raised questions about whether Thompson's brother might have played a role in the crash that authorities did not investigate. The brother was not charged and testified that he didn't drive the SUV the night of the crash and Thompson was the last person he saw behind the wheel. Bliss called that testimony 'self-serving.' Thompson previously served part of an eight-year prison sentence in California in connection with a 2018 hit-and-run accident that severely injured a woman in the Santa Barbara area. He was released from prison there months before the crash in Minneapolis. Court records show that Thompson is the son of a former Democratic state representative from St. Paul who was sharply critical of police during his one term in office.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency warns public of ‘Alabama DMV' phishing scheme
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is encouraging people to be aware of a phishing scheme targeting Alabamians with text messages falsely claiming to be from the 'Alabama Department of Vehicles (DMV).' These messages are threatening to suspend the recipients' driving privileges and suspend vehicle registrations unless they click on a malicious link or provide personal information. Typically, these messages demand payment for non-existent traffic tickets. State officials have emphasized that there is no such entity as the 'Alabama DMV,' and driver licensing services in Alabama are handled by ALEA's Driver License Division. Vehicle registration is handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue, and license plates are issued through local county probate offices. 'Organized group' linked to 10 separate shootings in Tuscaloosa County 'Scammers are trying to create a false sense of urgency by threatening you and your drivingprivileges,' ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said in a statement. 'We urge all Alabamians to be cautious and remember that our Agency will never contact you this way.' According to ALEA, any unsolicited text message claiming to be ALEA or its Driver License Division should be considered suspicious and deleted. ALEA reminds people to avoid clicking on unfamiliar links in suspicious messages and to avoid providing any personal information. Phishing attempts can be reported here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jury finds Derrick Thompson guilty on all charges in crash that killed 5 women
Jury finds Derrick Thompson guilty on all charges in crash that killed 5 women originally appeared on Bring Me The News. Derrick Thompson has been found guilty on all 15 charges for causing the death of five women in a horrific car crash in Minneapolis Thompson was traveling at speeds of up to 100 mph in an SUV rented from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on the evening of June 16, 2023, when he exited I-35W at Lake Street and ran a red light. He smashed into a vehicle carrying Sahra Gesaade, 20, Salma Abdikadir, 20, Sagal Hersi, 19, Siham Odhowa, 19, and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali, 17, killing all of them. In court on Friday, a jury returned a verdict of guilty on all 15 counts – five counts of 3rd-degree murder and ten counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Thompson had claimed he wasn't behind the wheel at the time of the crash, with his defense team arguing investigators had failed to determine it was his brother, Damarco, who was at fault. Thompson, the son of former Minnesota Representative John Thompson, was allegedly was weaving in and out of traffic on I-35W shortly before exiting and running the red light at the end of the ramp. According to the Sahan Journal, the women, some of whom were related, had been together to get henna tattoos applied at Karmel Mall ahead of a friend's wedding. Their families are expected to speak following the conclusion of Friday's hearing. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
