16-04-2025
How long are wait times for Real ID appointments with deadline approaching?
The deadline to upgrade your license or ID card to a Real ID is just a few weeks away, and many people throughout the state remain frustrated with the lack of available appointments at New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission locations.
Travelers in New Jersey who use their license as a form of identification at airports will be required to show a Real ID in order to fly domestically or enter government buildings starting May 7.
A Real ID is a "new federal requirement for state-issued driver licenses and non-driver IDs to help prevent fraudulent identification," the NJMVC website said.
As the deadline approaches, available appointments are nowhere to found in New Jersey. As of Tuesday afternoon, about three weeks away from the deadline, there were no available appointments for Real ID at any of the NJMVC locations. Those who cannot find appointments are looking for answers.
"The entire state of NJ shows 0 appointments available for Real ID. How are travelers suppose to renew?" said one user on X, formerly Twitter, on a reply underneath a post about Real ID on the NJMVC account.
The NJMVC said the demand for Real ID remains extraordinarily high. About 3,500 new appointments for Real ID upgrades are added each morning on a rolling basis, said a spokesperson for the NJMVC, Jim Hooker. The new appointments are added at 7 a.m. on each business day.
Every Thursday, for the "Real ID Thursday" program, an estimated 4,600 additional appointments for Real ID will be added as they roll over on the scheduler, said Hooker. Since the start of the program, "Real ID Thursday" added over 43,000 appointments.
"We continue to evaluate our operations and capacity each week, looking to add as many appointments for Real ID as possible," said Hooker.
Another way to obtain a Real ID is through a license renewal appointment, but only for those with licenses expiring within three months. License renewals has just over 51,000 available appointments throughout New Jersey MVC locations. The next available appointment for the Lodi NJMVC location is on July 1.
As of April 14, the NJMVC issued about 1.3 million Real IDs across New Jersey, according to Hooker. About 1,381,916 New Jersey Real IDs can be used to board domestic flights.
Real ID appointments, license renewals and Mobile Unit appointments are all booked on the scheduler on the NJMVC website.
A Real ID is not required to fly in New Jersey, but if you use your driver's license or a non-driver identification card, instead of a passport or other form of ID, to fly within the U.S., you will need a Real ID. If you do not have a Real ID, there are other acceptable forms of ID used for domestic travel such as a passport.
Standard New Jersey licenses will remain valid for driving and other identification purposes.
A Real ID in New Jersey costs $35, according to the NJMVC. A standard New Jersey license costs $24.
New Jersey residents must bring a combination of documents to their appointment at the DMV, known as 2 + 1 + 6 = REAL ID.
The documents include two documents that prove the applicant's address, such as a valid driver's license or a credit card bill, one valid social security number and documents that add up to at least six points of identification.
Some primary documents that will add up to the six points include but not limited to,
U.S. Passport (four points)
Birth certificate (four points)
Current permanent resident card (three points)
U.S. School or college photo ID with transcript (two points)
Civil marriage certificate or divorce decree (two points)
A Real ID looks almost identical to a standard driver's license or state-issued ID card, but has a star cutout in a gold circle in the upper right corner. A standard driver's license or state-issued ID has "NOT FOR 'REAL ID' PURPOSES" in the same location on the card. The symbol on the driver's license varies depending on what state you live in
This article originally appeared on Real ID appointments in NJ remain difficult to find
