Congress passed the Real ID legislation in 2005. Real ID is issued at local DMVs.
According to both local and national news media, lines at DMVs are huge.
What in the hell were people waiting for? It does seem Procrastinators have united. I have absolutely no sympathy for those who waited. Got mine several years ago when I renewed my drivers license.
The news here in IL a few years ago, was about how people would get their paperwork randomly rejected by the old ladies at the DMV (or as we call it, the Secretary of State's office). Minor discrepancies such as the way "Avenue" is abbreviated on your electric bill, for example, would get your documents rejected. People were standing in line for hours just to get rejected. So I decided to go another route.... I got a passport instead. It needed less documentation, and I was able to take my own photo. No standing in lines, no bitter old ladies to reject my paperwork. Super easy.
Yep. Choosing the right option was indeed a smart thing to do. Procrastinating, not so much.
The Real ID is really about flying and entrance into Federal Facilities (states may also require) but if one has a valid Pass Port, that should be sufficient.
Although, the thought has crossed my mind that not having a Real ID may be a good thing if, one gets convicted and sentenced to Federal Prison, maybe they won't let one in without the Real ID.........................
------------------ Rams Learning most of life's lessons the hard way. . You are only young once but, you can be immature indefinitely.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 05-06-2025).]
I got mine several years ago. It was a minor PITA, but still didn't take a bunch of time. Since I haven't heard much more about it until recently, I suspect that most people just forgot about it. And then they found out, and remembered.
I got mine several years ago. It was a minor PITA, but still didn't take a bunch of time. Since I haven't heard much more about it until recently, I suspect that most people just forgot about it. And then they found out, and remembered.
Reasons vary I assume. Some states were slow to get with it in setting up the system within their own Agencies. In many cases, I assume Radar's response is precisely why individuals haven't gotten that Real ID. Doesn't matter at this point.
There were several folks who tried to fly yesterday out of Memphis and the local news was there to record and report. A few were allowed to go through a much more entailed screening process and got to board their flights. At least one didn't get to board or missed her flight but the reason was not reported. She was not a happy camper.
------------------ Rams Learning most of life's lessons the hard way. . You are only young once but, you can be immature indefinitely.
I have a different take on the Real ID crap that is going on. My wife and I stood in line to get one years ago but both of us were denied. Turns out that your birth certificate cannot be a copy. It must be EMBOSSED. My wife and I asked why but we’re just told those were the rules. I saw many people at the DMV that day and I can tell you a lot of them probably were not even born here and I can tell you most of them had no problem getting a Real ID. (many with their passport)
I find it absurd that I even need a Real ID. I was born in this country 64 years ago, I have a birth certificate copy, a Calif drivers license, SS card, lots of local school and work history. Disgusted, my wife and I walked out and never went back. All because we didn’t have the required embossed copy. Kit
Turns out that your birth certificate cannot be a copy. It must be EMBOSSED.
I don't know if I ever had a "real" embossed birth certificate..... All I've ever had was a miniature copy which was about the size of a 3x5 card. On shiny paper too.... I'm surprised it never faded, although maybe it has; I haven't seen it in many years. I had to go to the official State of Ohio website to order a new embossed copy, and of course when it arrived they spelled my middle name wrong. I had to call them and then wait for a new corrected copy to arrive in the mail. Took a couple weeks in total.
I have three copies of my Birth certificate, embossed and on good quality paper. It was not free. I had to provide it for a security job I was applying for that would later be elevated to a security clearance requirement. Ordered one from my home state and two agencies that promised overnight. Got one 2 days later and accepted the job. So it's not impossible.
The news here in IL a few years ago, was about how people would get their paperwork randomly rejected by the old ladies at the DMV (or as we call it, the Secretary of State's office). Minor discrepancies such as the way "Avenue" is abbreviated on your electric bill, for example, would get your documents rejected. People were standing in line for hours just to get rejected. So I decided to go another route.... I got a passport instead. It needed less documentation, and I was able to take my own photo. No standing in lines, no bitter old ladies to reject my paperwork. Super easy.
This. I had to go back to the RMV 4 times because the clerk had an issue with something . First it was the Towns new birth cert. Claiming it was fake. Got a notarized letter from the town office to support the birth cert. Then it was my active drivers license, I had lost mine when my wallet was stolen and had a duplicate state issued one. They barked at their own issued drivers license. Then they claimed my address and home didn't exist, The one I had lived at for 20+ years at that point. I finally got the "real i.d." to replace my standard drivers license. The new one came with the same expiration date as the old standard one , meaning it needed to be renewed a month later . So that was nice, paid the fee and it was good for all of 41 days, then had to pay again to renew the brand new one.
This is why everyone waited.
Another reason is, many when they renewed their drivers licence assumed the new replacement was a read i.d. If you didn't ask for it because it cost more to get it than a standard one. The rmv just renewed you with a standard one. My tin hat reason is, they would get the fee for that standard one, then get another fee for the real id with the same expiration date. so double the fees collected in the same 5 years.
Last reason is, At least here any trip to the RMV is going to be an all day affair. I've never been in and out it's always a 3-5 hour wait. Requirements for employment at the RMV be as slow as a sloth.
[This message has been edited by 1987RedFiero (edited 05-19-2025).]
The state of Florida sent me one like almost two renewals ago... I didn't have to do anything. Mine has had that little star on it for over a decade. Normally, Florida sends them in the mail because they don't require you to come in for most things. But... so much time had gone by, I still had my 19 year old picture on my drivers license in Florida when I was already in my mid 30s, so they made me come in for a new picture, and at that point... I got the Real ID one.
Originally posted by 1987RedFiero: Another reason is, many when they renewed their drivers licence assumed the new replacement was a read i.d. If you didn't ask for it because it cost more to get it than a standard one. The rmv just renewed you with a standard one. My tin hat reason is, they would get the fee for that standard one, then get another fee for the real id with the same expiration date. so double the fees collected in the same 5 years.
Last reason is, At least here any trip to the RMV is going to be an all day affair. I've never been in and out it's always a 3-5 hour wait. Requirements for employment at the RMV be as slow as a sloth.
Well, all I can say is your experience was different from mine. The line wasn't long and the clerk asked me which version I wanted. I chose the Real ID. Total time was slightly over an hour. to include the eye test. Motor Vehicle Departments vary is all I can say.
------------------ Rams Learning most of life's lessons the hard way. . You are only young once but, you can be immature indefinitely.
My wife ran n to the same expiration date thing when we got new license after moving here. Got here May 10, closed on our home June 2, went down to the DMV a week later. MY driv lic just happened to expire the day before closing on my birthday, so they issued me one good for 6 more years. Jane's tho, didn't expire until Nov, so her brand new Tx driv was only good for 5 months. (she didn't notice and actually drove around for almost 2 years with an expired driv license until the girl at her new Dr's office mentioned it to her.) She then had trouble getting a new one because in Tx now, it's all done by appointment and if their computers are down, the appointment may or may not be valid. Her's was not and she had to get new appointment...twice, just to get a driv lic. (Ours are both REAL tho) But, the star thing is beginning to rub off on mine from being in my back pocket wallet so long.
Well, all I can say is your experience was different from mine. The line wasn't long and the clerk asked me which version I wanted. I chose the Real ID. Total time was slightly over an hour. to include the eye test. Motor Vehicle Departments vary is all I can say.
I'm sure RMV's service wait time depends on location. That said, there should not have been a choice of a version it should have been an automatic requirement to upgrade to the real i.d. My view is they did this because they knew it cause many to have to fork over the renewal fee twice within the drivers licence years that the new one would be valid. In my case, I thought I needed the real i.d. to fly. so I went and got it. I didn't need it as they pushed the date out again. So I paid the 70 bucks, they mailed the new one. and in 41 days I needed to send in another iirc 70 bucks to renew it. I should have waited till my D/L had less than a day left. It have saved me 70.00 . I assumed because my valid D/L was up in 5-6 weeks the new one would be good for 5 years after my birthday, nope It showed up 2 days before I was to fly and thank god we were returning before my birthday. I don't want to even think what a cluster trying to fly home with an i.d. that was out of date even if it was issued a few days before our trip. Here, Most would rather goto a dentist than the RMV.
I'm sure RMV's service wait time depends on location.
And, the clerk you're dealing with. Some are very helpful, some not so much. Had the person you dealt with been more helpful, he/she would have made all options more visible.
Last reason is, At least here any trip to the RMV is going to be an all day affair. I've never been in and out it's always a 3-5 hour wait. Requirements for employment at the RMV be as slow as a sloth.
Same in Illinois.
A couple years ago, I had to go there to get a car title transferred after my mother died. First, I tried going there on Saturday, July 1, only to find the facility was closed, apparently so the workers there could have a nice long 4-day weekend. I tried again the following Saturday, and found a line of about 200 people hanging out of the door and halfway through the parking lot. Not to be discouraged, I decided to come back on a weekday around lunch time. The line was already out the door, but not too bad, so I waited. Once I got inside, I found about a hundred people in a line snaking back and forth filling the entire room (despite the signs prominently posted declaring "maximum capacity 50 people"). At that point, I noticed the signs declaring "All fees must be paid by check or money order; credit cards not accepted". You know, like its still 1970 in there. So in the end I had to come back one more time, this time with my checkbook. I guess doing that all online will be sometime in the future maybe?
A couple years ago, I had to go there to get a car title transferred after my mother died. First, I tried going there on Saturday, July 1, only to find the facility was closed, apparently so the workers there could have a nice long 4-day weekend. I tried again the following Saturday, and found a line of about 200 people hanging out of the door and halfway through the parking lot. Not to be discouraged, I decided to come back on a weekday around lunch time. The line was already out the door, but not too bad, so I waited. Once I got inside, I found about a hundred people in a line snaking back and forth filling the entire room (despite the signs prominently posted declaring "maximum capacity 50 people"). At that point, I noticed the signs declaring "All fees must be paid by check or money order; credit cards not accepted". You know, like its still 1970 in there. So in the end I had to come back one more time, this time with my checkbook. I guess doing that all online will be sometime in the future maybe?
I was told, they didn't take c/cards for payment because too many reported to their c/cards that the charge was a mistake and the card would cancel the payment although the person already had the new title/tags/license or whatever. Here they'll take check /some money orders and good old cash. They will take a c/card when you do anything online. The online system you have to log in with your license # and other personal information and they send a code by text to the phone number they already have on file. You then have to type in the code before you can access your driving record and vehicle information then "check out".
[This message has been edited by 1987RedFiero (edited 05-20-2025).]
I was told, they didn't take c/cards for payment because too many reported to their c/cards that the charge was a mistake and the card would cancel the payment although the person already had the new title/tags/license or whatever.
Precisely the reason credit cards aren't accepted. It's getting that way with many big businesses. They also get scammed by folks. Recently I tried to pay a bill over the phone, although I knew the company would only accept a debit card, I mistakenly pulled my credit card out and used it. My payment was rejected. Then used the debit card and got it paid.
We are not the only ones that get scammed, happens to businesses also and they've learned their lessons. Apparently, some (maybe all) DMVs have also.
Regardless, the Real ID requirement was passed in 2005, if a state couldn't get it's act together since then, there is definitely a need for new elected officials.
Precisely the reason credit cards aren't accepted. It's getting that way with many big businesses. They also get scammed by folks. Recently I tried to pay a bill over the phone, although I knew the company would only accept a debit card, I mistakenly pulled my credit card out and used it. My payment was rejected. Then used the debit card and got it paid.
We are not the only ones that get scammed, happens to businesses also and they've learned their lessons. Apparently, some (maybe all) DMVs have also.
Regardless, the Real ID requirement was passed in 2005, if a state couldn't get it's act together since then, there is definitely a need for new elected officials.
Rams
That never happen. The fix is put the counter help at every RMV on commission. That fix the issue with long lines and wait times.
I was told, they didn't take c/cards for payment because too many reported to their c/cards that the charge was a mistake and the card would cancel the payment although the person already had the new title/tags/license or whatever. Here they'll take check /some money orders and good old cash. They will take a c/card when you do anything online. The online system you have to log in with your license # and other personal information and they send a code by text to the phone number they already have on file. You then have to type in the code before you can access your driving record and vehicle information then "check out".
On line andi in person at the counter, Texas accepts plastic (CC and debit) as well cash and paper check for driv license renewal and title transfer/registration renewal . Using a card tho, initiates an automatic 2%-3% 'convenience charge'. I have not experienced lengthy wait times here in Texas in recent decades. Over in Louisiana tho, you better take a book to read and reams and reams of documentation.
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 05-21-2025).]
