Rush to get a Real ID before early May deadline packs Bay Area DMV offices
The looming May 7th deadline for U.S. travelers to have a Real ID has Bay Area residents scrambling to make DMV appointments and – in some cases – facing long waits at regional offices.
Travelers flying without a Real ID after that date could have a harder time getting through airport security.
People without appointments were waiting up to three hours. State Department of Motor Vehicles offices in Pleasanton and Fremont are opening one hour early, every weekday except Wednesdays specifically to handle the growing number of Real ID appointments.
East Bay resident Katrina Keith wasn't exactly thrilled about spending her day off sitting at the Concord DMV.
"They're in the 200s and I'm at 352, so I have some time. I have some time. Hopefully they're moving faster," she said.
Keith wasn't able to get an appointment, but needed to get a Real ID to fly to San Diego for her daughter's birthday without having to carry her passport. She said if she doesn't get through the line in an hour, she's leaving.
"I'm ok with that, but three hours? No. I'm not staying here for three hours. It's not worth it. I will just hold onto the passport if that's the case," Keith said laughing.
Jenifer and Mark Philipps took off work to bring their son in to get his Real ID.
"It's spring break, his birthday is in two weeks and the one he has is going to expire, so that's it. Timing. Here we are. Who wants to go to the DMV? Nobody!" said Jenifer.
Mark said he was dreading this DMV appointment more than doing his taxes and even a trip to the dentist, describing the DMV process as "painful."
"This increase comes as no surprise to the DMV," said DMV spokesperson Jaime Garza. He told CBS News Bay Area the DMV anticipated seeing a rush of Real ID applications as the federal deadline got closer.
"We're going to be monitoring the situation, not just in the Bay Area, but across California. And we're going to adjust the appointment availability as needed," said Garza.
To get a Real ID, applicants are required to show proof of identity -- which can be a current passport or birth certificate -- as well as proof of social security number and date of birth along with two items proving residency such as a lease or utility bill.
Applicants upload those documents online to save time.
"Smile if you like and wait for the flash!" a DMV employee said to Melissa Anderson as she was taking a new picture for her Real ID. Anderson was lucky enough to get an appointment and said she made it in and out in less than half an hour.
"I don't come to the DMV very often, so I guess it's not that bad. I've never had like a bad experience really. I know that's uncommon," Anderson said with a laugh.
The only advice from the DMV staff is to just wait if at all possible to get your Real ID, especially if you already have a federally compliant ID.
Applicants can also check wait times at their local DMV branch online. It estimates the time required based on time of day and if the applicant has an appointment or not. The site even provides estimated wait times at other nearby offices.
Officials said they expect things to get back to normal within the next six to eight weeks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Costco cards good for 'hot dogs & rotisserie chickens,' not airports, TSA says
Costco cards good for 'hot dogs & rotisserie chickens,' not airports, TSA says The deadline for travelers to obtain a Real ID for domestic flights and accessing federal facilities was May 7. Show Caption Hide Caption Real ID explained: what it is, why it matters, and how to get yours Real ID requirements: everything you need to know about getting compliant for travel and ID. Costco memberships come with a variety of perks, including access to discounted products and services; however, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently debunked the rumor that customers' warehouse club cards substitute for a Real ID. TSA proclaimed in an X post on Wednesday, June 4: "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not." TSA Pacific spokesperson Lorie Dankers told SFGate that the rumor of Costco cards being accepted as official identification pops up every year or so. When people try to use their warehouse club cards at airports, for instance, it could lead to delays and travel headaches, she added. Travel: You don't need a passport at these 7 US destinations that feel international As of May 7, travelers need a Real ID or other acceptable identification for domestic flights and accessing federal facilities. Those who haven't gotten one yet may be scrambling to figure out what they need to do before booking their next trip. One thing is for certain: They should probably leave their Costco membership cards at home. Here are the acceptable forms of identification, according to the TSA, as well as some background on how the most recent version of the Costco card rumor originated. Acceptable identification at the TSA checkpoint According to the TSA, valid forms of ID at airports include: Real ID-compliant driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) A temporary driver's license is not an acceptable form of identification. State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID) U.S. passport U.S. passport card DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs) HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) How did the Costco card rumor come back up? Food blog Chowhound claimed in the initial version of an article titled "How Your Costco Card Could Save You At The Airport," that people's Costco cards could pass through TSA because it is considered a photo ID. The article cited Reddit, where users claimed their warehouse club cards helped them through airport security when they forgot or lost their regular ID. On June 4, the day TSA debunked the rumor on social media, Chowhound issued an update to the article, saying, "A previous version of this article stated TSA is likely to accept a Costco membership card in lieu of a valid form of ID. TSA does not explicitly state you can use a Costco card as a form of identification, explaining, 'The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening.'" The update concludes with: "Now with the Real ID requirements, (a Costco card) is even less likely to get you through TSA quickly or successfully." If someone tried using a Costco card at an airport, they would likely be pulled from the TSA checkpoint line for further questioning about other personal information, such as their two previous home addresses, Dankers told SFGate. Contributing: Chad Murphy/ Akron Beacon Journal
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
TSA Begs Travelers to Stop Presenting a Costco Membership Card Instead of a Passport
Attention, Americans! Next time you fly, the folks at the Transportation Safety Administration have a simple reminder: no, your Costco Membership is not a valid form of ID. The bizarre reminder came days ago, amidst a renewed flurry of web traffic — and presumably some attempts at the security checkpoint — checking whether the almighty wholesale retail pass will get you to past the gate and onto your flight. "We love hotdogs and rotisserie chickens as much as the next person, but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," the TSA implored on social media. The TSA is a legendarily flawed organization, notorious for subjecting untold millions of travelers to cumbersome security theater while accomplishing very little, but in this instance it was unquestionably correct: a Costco card will emphatically get you nowhere near an airplane at a US airport, and presenting it to airport security may well result in a situation that makes you wish you'd stayed home in the first place. The agency's truth bomb comes a month after the federal government finally carried out its years-long threat of requiring a REAL ID — a state ID authenticated along with legal proof of residence — to board even domestic flights. The looming mandate was established all the way back in 2005, and has consistently been pushed back by the government, at least until Trump's Project 2025-fueled crackdown on voting registration. The Costco debacle, on the other hand, has its roots in a nebulous internet rumor dating back to at least August, 2021. Among the earliest known claims that a Costco card can get you through TSA comes from an immigration-assistance website with occasional blogs on travel advice. A post titled "Costco Cards, and 11 Other IDs That Can Get You through Airport Security" — published on August 16th, 2021, according to metadata — lists the almighty piece of plastic as an acceptable supplement when going through airport security. "It is a photo ID, and can help you get through a TSA check," the blog advises. It's true that Costco cards have their owners' photos printed on them, but they are absolutely not an official form of ID, at least anywhere except Costco. "Costco is a reputed name, and everyone has heard of its membership program." (To be fair to the blog does caveat that "perhaps the Costco card alone is not enough.") The vague rumor only spiraled from there, with years' worth of social media posts piling up into a disinformation tornado on the topic. Now with dozens of local media outlets circulating the TSA-Costco debacle, maybe it's only a matter of time before some clever AI chatbot gets in on the fun. More on retail: After Disastrous Experiments Into AI, Target Pledges to Pile on Even More AI
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
TSA tells Americans their Costco cards won't fly at airport security despite love for hot dogs
The Transportation Security Administration clarified this week that a Costco membership card is not sufficient to present at airport security. "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," the TSA wrote on Facebook Wednesday. The reminder comes less than a month after the U.S. began requiring a Real Id driver's license when flying domestically May 7. Real Id Is Here: 5 Things To Know Before Flying Aside from REAL IDs, which have enhanced federal standards, domestic flyers can also use their passports or another federally-approved form of identification like Defense Department-issued IDs (but not a Costco card). "Department of Defense IDs for active and retired military continue to be an acceptable form of ID at TSA checkpoints following the implementation of REAL ID last month," the TSA wrote on Facebook Thursday. Read On The Fox News App REAL IDs were available for years before the requirement went into effect after a 2005 law passed based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission report. Airline Passenger Shocked When Agent Rejects Checked Bag For 'Bizarre' Reason With many procrastinating until shortly before the deadline, DMV centers were inundated with long lines in April and early May, and there was confusion about what forms of identification, such as a passport, birth certificate or Social Security card, were acceptable at a DMV to secure a REAL article source: TSA tells Americans their Costco cards won't fly at airport security despite love for hot dogs
