02-04-2025
Your guide to getting a Real ID in Tennessee
Axios Nashville readers stepped up with several time-saving tips that could help you navigate the Real ID process without a tension headache.
Why it matters: Learn from their mistakes and triumphs.
⏰ Go early: Lines typically get longer as the day goes on. Check to see when your location of choice opens and be at the door first thing like it's Black Friday.
🚗 Take the scenic route: Count on bigger crowds in Davidson County. If you can, travel into the suburbs for a shorter wait.
Rebecca J. says the centers in Columbia and Dickson are "quick and easy peasy." Other recommendations included Gallatin, Hendersonville and Lebanon.
Nate had a smooth experience in Ashland City.
🗓️ Make an appointment: It might be a while before you can schedule one in bigger cities, but it's worth it.
Why? "You will not have to wait in a line then," Melanie D. says.
Jen C. recommends avoiding Wednesdays, when service centers seem to be especially busy: "It's chaos!"
📑 Double-check your documents: Almost everyone who reached out recommended taking extra care to bring the right documentation: one that proves you're in the U.S. legally, another that confirms your Social Security number and two that establish your current address.
You can get your documents pre-approved online, but that could take a while.
🏙️ Head downtown: Multiple readers said their favorite option was hiding in plain sight: The driver services center on the third floor of the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower.
