OK, for those who have no idea what this is, it is the ID you will need to travel on domestic flights as of Oct 1, 2020. About half of the population does not even know about it (including my +1, although he does now). I went today to get mine before it becomes an increasingly chaotic mess. Some states have done nothing. Others (like VA) have online instructions to get the ID. It involves upgrading your driver's license to REAL ID status. You can choose to not get the REAL ID, but you will have to travel with your passport everywhere. You need four different forms of ID (at least in VA) - there are lots of choices in each category. If you are not organized, however, you probably won't have all of them handy. I chose passport, current driver's license, voter registration card, and a copy of my retirement pay 1099.

Times to go the DMV vary. I went first thing this AM and there were 12 people in line before me. It was not bad. The suggestion is to go first thing in the morning or late afternoon before closing. But if you go late you have to be certain you have time to be waited on before it runs out. Our DMV does not allow anything to start processing within 30 min of closing. Thurs is supposedly the busiest day. I figure first thing Tues or Wed is best. But who knows in your area.

There are rumblings about extending the deadline, but they are just that for now. Go out there and get yours ASAP!

 

I find it interesting and aggravating that this law was pass not long after 9/11 and several states have been dragging their feet inplimenting. It has been delayed at least once maybe more and certain states are still crying.

It took us about 15 to 20 minutes to get ours in Ohio. What is wrong with these other states?

 

I always travel with my passport. I paid a lot of money to get it.
I wonder what else REAL ID will be used for. I have no intension of getting it at present and wonder if "other uses" will drive me to doing so.

 

When I renewed my Ohio driver license in June 2019, I got the new compliant one.

My husband got his compliant one in 2018 when he renewed his driver license, as did our daughter.

It wasn't too long of a wait then, probably no more than the usual wait, but I expect the wait times will be getting worse and worse.

On the Ohio driver license site, it is very clear what documents are accepted to prove the different categories that must be proven.

For some women, you might also need proof of your marriage (and/or divorce) to show the various name changes, especially if you don't have a passport with your current name on it.

I think some of it might be a lot more difficult if you don't already have a passport.

I have known several people who had a problem because the proof of birth that they had was just one that was issued by the hospital, and was not issued by a government entity, such as a city, county, or state .

 

Sue, when I was born all of the birth certificates up here were issued by the health department.

 

Yeah, the names have to match on all the docs, except you can have middle initial or middle name spelled out.

 

One person I knew who had a problem was born in Pennsylvania. She had something that was issued by the hospital, and when she tried to renew her Ohio driver license, they had to call the state of Pennsylvania.

Another person I knew was born in California, and was trying to get her Idaho compliant driver license. Again, all she had was something issued by the hospital, but they finally accepted it. She has since sent for the official one from California.

I was born in California, and what I have was issued by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

 

I am renewing my license soon (expires on my bday in April) and will get the new one. However, when I renewed my passport, I got a passport card with it so I normally just use that for travel instead of my license. It is a nice thing to have and I think only cost me an extra $25 or so.

 

I figure I'll give it one shot in Massachusetts. I don't really care if i don't have it. My passport will work.

 

I always fly with my passport to make it easy.