22-03-2025
Saturday slots open for TN residents to get REAL ID before deadline
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennesseans have until May 7, 2025 to get their REAL ID to board commercial flights in the U.S. and enter some federal buildings. The state has tried to make it easier for people without updated IDs by adding Saturday appointments at select locations.
After May 7, Tennessee driver licenses and ID cards that aren't compliant will not be accepted at certain federal buildings, military bases and nuclear power plants. Additionally, a compliant REAL ID will be necessary to board a commercial flight within the U.S.
Saturday appointments available for those needing REAL IDs in Tennessee
'[We are] here getting the star for my mom, who's 87, so that we can fly her to Florida,' Troy Buford, who visited a drivers' service center in Nashville, said. 'The process — it's a little arduous.'
In February, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security in February added more than 1,400 extra REAL ID appointment slots per day. Additionally, you can go on Saturdays, with weekend appointments available at 14 Driver Services Centers across Tennessee. They include locations in Cookeville, Columbia, Clarksville and Nashville.
Some drivers tell News 2 they took care of getting the update early.'I'm so glad I did. There's a huge line in there for that,' Benjamin Bressler told News 2.
'Others still need to get it done — but not for lack of trying to fast-track the process online,' said Shelby Newbern. 'I got here at eight o'clock and I just got through at 11 but the process itself was like less than ten minutes, but the waiting game was about three hours.'
Department of Safety and Homeland Security officials told News 2 they'd seen an uptick in people trying to go locations in more urban areas rather than rural.
FEBRUARY: Need help finding REAL ID documents? The Tennessee State Library & Archives can help
'The [addition of] Saturday hours is a response to the increase in demand for appointments,' Charmaine McNeilly, the deputy director of communications, said. 'One point of confusion is some people think of this as a deadline that they have to get it before May 7th, or they won't be able to get it in the future and that is not the case.'
State officials said as of publication, more than 2.7 million Tennesseans already have the updated license.
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