The Real ID deadline is May 7: Here's what you need to know
A ticking clock on Pennsylvania's Real ID homepage counts down the days, minutes and seconds until May 7, the date the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has set as the official Real ID deadline, after several extensions due to COVID and the national emergency declaration. With the date now looming less than two months away, Northeast Pennsylvanians who haven't gotten their Real IDs yet may be feeling pressure to get the task done.
Due to the increase in demand that PennDOT has observed, some driver's license centers are offering Real ID Days, 'as a way to ensure we are meeting the needs of the public and providing them with the best possible customer service,' said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton.
'PennDOT is committed to making it as convenient as possible for Pennsylvanians to obtain a Real ID if they want one,' Templeton said.
Real ID Days are taking place Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at centers across the commonwealth, including the Wilkes-Barre Drivers License Center at 1805 Hanover St. The center is one of 15 'same-day' centers in the state, said Aimee Inama, PennDOT's statewide community relations coordinator at Driver and Vehicle Services.
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While normally closed on Mondays, certain PennDOT Drivers License centers, including the Wilkes-Barre Drivers License Center, will be open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help accommodate the higher than usual number of people scurrying to obtain a REAL ID. (PENNDOT / SUBMITTED)
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Vehicles move past the Driver's License Center in Dunmore on Friday afternoon. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
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Vehicles move past the Driver's License Center in Dunmore on Friday afternoon. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
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While normally closed on Mondays, certain PennDOT Drivers License centers, including the Wilkes-Barre Drivers License Center, will be open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help accommodate the higher than usual number of people scurrying to obtain a REAL ID. (PENNDOT / SUBMITTED)
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'We're usually closed on Mondays, but we're opening up certain driver's centers on Mondays to offer that service,' Inama explained, adding that driver's license centers will also process Real IDs on other business days, during normal business hours. Real IDs come with an associated fee. 'You will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $39.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver's license or $42.50 for a photo ID),' states pa.gov's REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions page.
In addition to Real ID Days, PennDOT also built a 'REAL ID online wizard' to potentially help interested parties organize their paperwork and save time.
Inama explained that the IDs are optional for Pennsylvania residents. Another federal ID, such as a U.S. passport, will be required, however, when boarding domestic commercial flights, when entering a federal facility, such as a military base or federal courthouse, or if accessing a nuclear power plant.
Inama said there is currently an uptick of visitors to PennDOT driver's license centers in anticipation of the approaching deadline, and some anxiety around the Real ID requirement.
'We're finding people are concerned, and there's no reason for concern,' Inama said. 'We're here, we're offering special hours, during regular business hours we're processing Real IDs, and we will be processing them now until the end of time, because it's just part of our business now.'
Gene Katapski, of Jefferson Twp., expressed his frustration at the stringent documentation requirement necessary to obtain his Real ID.
'I tried 3 times. Each time they found something to deny,' he commented on a social media website. 'I gave up and received a passport card in 30 minutes.'
The popular post had 263 comments and 75 shares, with Northeast Pennsylvanians expressing everything from much ease to extreme difficulty around the process.
In a phone interview, Katapski explained that PennDOT took issue with small discrepancies on his documents.
'One piece of mail would have 'Road' spelled out, the other one had it written as 'Rd.,' Katapski said. 'I'm in Jefferson Twp., one would have Twp. abbreviated, and another would say Township. They'd say, 'Nope, doesn't work.''
There was also an issue with his middle initial on one document and his full middle name on another document, he said.
'It was very frustrating,' he said.
Inama recommended arriving at the driver's license centers with correct documentation, to help avoid any complications.
'Make sure that they come to the driver's centers prepared, definitely go on our website and check out the documents needed, we have a complete list of documents required, make sure you have your paperwork in order,' Inama said. She recommended that, in lieu of a Social Security card, visitors make sure their W-2 forms reveal their entire Social Security number with no numbers blocked or blacked out.
Buildings in Northeast Pennsylvania that may require a Real ID to enter include the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Scranton, the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office, the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, Tobyhanna Army Depot in Coolbaugh Twp., the U.S. Penitentiary, Canaan, in Wayne County, and the U.S. Social Security Administration building in Wilkes-Barre, among others.
Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration facilities, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration offices, and military recruitment centers may also require Real IDs to enter. Valid U.S. passports or other approved IDs may also be used to enter the buildings, in some cases. Checking the building's ID requirements for entry before arriving is recommended.
Some Pennsylvanians already have a Real ID-compliant driver's license, which is marked with a gold or black star on the top right corner. If an ID is marked 'not for federal identification,' this is an indicator that it is not a Real ID, and may not be used in the manner that a Real ID can.
Those who plan to fly domestically and don't have a U.S. passport, and frequent visitors of federal buildings are required to obtain a Real ID, only if they have business to do after May 7 that will require the ID, Inama said.
'Say I'm flying out in August, and I can't get down to the center by May 7, but I have my passport, I can use that, or come later, in June,' Inama said, adding the office strives to help everyone. 'We are always here to serve the people of Pennsylvania, and we always do it with the best customer service.'
Necessary documents required for obtaining a Real ID include proof of identity, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, a Social Security card or W-2 form, two proofs of Pennsylvania residence, such as with a bank statement or utility bill, and proof of any change of name, for example, with a marriage certificate. Check PennDOT's website for details. Documents must be taken, in person, to a Department of Motor Vehicles Driver's License Center.
Anyone who is unable to obtain a Real ID can still use their U.S. passport, a military ID or a 'green card' in its place for domestic travel and federal building access.
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