Here's what New Jersey residents need to know about Real ID before flying today
The Real ID deadline is Wednesday, May 7, and New Jersey is said to have the lowest compliance of any state.
All U.S. travelers are required to switch over to Real ID or use an enhanced form of identification, like a passport, to fly domestically starting Wednesday.
But if you're hoping for a last-minute appointment, think again. Early Tuesday morning, the state's Motor Vehicle Commission website had no slots available until July.
So what happens if you have to fly?
"The best piece of advice I can give is go to TSA.gov, click on that Real ID link. There's a very comprehensive and thorough list of all the IDs that are acceptable as Real ID, and I think some folks may be pleasantly surprised that they may have one of those," TSA Federal Security Director New Jersey Thomas Carter said Tuesday.
Transportation Security Administration officials say travelers who show up at the airport without a valid form of ID will still be able to board domestic flights during this first phase, but they will face additional screening and wait times.
"You will still be able to process through. That individual who is not Real ID compliant needs to plan for some enhanced screening that they may be going through at the checkpoint above and beyond the normal process," Carter said. "As the timeline moves from right to left, it is going to intensify, and eventually, whatever that timeline may be, a Real ID will be a must."
"You need to get there three hours ahead of your departure time for the domestic flight for this extra level of security," AAA senior manager Robert Sinclair said.
The TSA says more staff will be in place to handle potential crowds, as they transition to the new requirement. So why are Real IDs happening now?
"You have to go back to the horrific events of [September 11, 2001]. Every individual on those airplanes that committed the horrific act, somewhere along their journey, used fraudulent ID," Carter said.
The state's MVC says it will offer emergency appointments for travelers who need to board domestic flights within 14 days for life-or-death reasons or for urgent travel plans, like a family death. Those will only be available at the Trenton office, and there are no guarantees.
Travelers at Newark Airport face delays as well as deadline
Reminders about Real ID are all over Newark Liberty International Airport, where travelers have been dealing with delays and cancellations for more than a week.
Alicia Powell and her family were grateful to be flying Tuesday, not Wednesday.
"That would be worse for sure. We don't want any other reasons to be stuck at the airport," Powell said.
Rush for Real ID appointments in New Jersey
A CBS analysis conducted last month found that 30 states were less than 70% compliant ahead of the Real ID deadline. At last update, New Jersey was 17% compliant, and New York was 43% compliant.
"The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has been working non-stop to help as many eligible New Jerseyans as possible obtain a Real ID. Our challenges are not unique to New Jersey--every state in the nation is facing similar pressures as the deadline approaches," NJMVC spokesperson William Connolly said last month. "Our state has made Real IDs available for the past five and a half years—since September 2019. We are currently issuing approximately 23,000 Real ID's per week and remain focused on delivering efficient service and to ensure that every eligible New Jerseyan can secure one."
New Jersey's MVC added thousands of Real ID appointments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the months leading up to the deadline, and it says hundreds of appointments are added each day.
The Murphy administration has pointed to several reasons for the state's low compliance, including the fact that the it uses an appointment-based system, and that 79% of New Jersey residents already have passports, impacting how many need to get Real ID now. Additionally, some residents who are eligible for driver's licenses are not eligible for Real ID.
At the MVC office in Rahway on Tuesday, some were still unable to get a Real ID appointment.
"I am going to be traveling soon and I waited until the last minute to get the Real ID. Right now, there's no appointments around New Jersey," Union County resident Manny Nunez said.
"I got it. It is always good when I am traveling," Mark Cosmeus, of Union County, said.
How to get a Real ID
If you already have a New Jersey driver's license, visit the MVC website to make an appointment to upgrade to a Real ID.
If your license expires within three months, you can get a Real ID at a license renewal appointment. If your license expires after that, you need to book a Real ID, non-renewal appointment.
If you do not have a New Jersey driver's license, you can get a Real ID at a non-driver ID appointment. Residents who just moved to New Jersey can get a Real ID at an out-of-state transfer appointment, and new drivers can get one after passing their road test.
Applicants will need to provide two proofs of residence, a verifiable Social Security number and certain identity documents that add up to 6 Real ID points. CLICK HERE for a closer look at what to bring.
