Yet another Real ID question, because I really just want to know?

r/

So I just saw yet another article in the local paper about the upcoming deadline for real ID. The really serious, we promise this time, no take back we mean it, deadline.

I am not worried, I got mine so long ago that I am renewing it next year. Hopefully I will just be able to bring the gold starred drivers license with me and renew it. Just in case I am bringing the fancy state issued state issued birth certificate with me.

I am wondering, with the sudden rush and panic, and a lot of people saying they did not know about the law. Which I find odd, because my state, Massachusetts only issued ReaID after the law changed.

How did you miss it, or why did you wait? What part of the country are you from?

Comments

  1. GhostOfJamesStrang Avatar

    I have a passport so I see no reason to renew my license ahead of schedule. 

  2. shelwood46 Avatar

    I have a passport card so I simply am not going to bother.

  3. Relevant-Ad4156 Avatar

    Here in Ohio, getting a Real ID was voluntary, and requires extra forms of identification. They were still issuing the “non-compliant” IDs to anyone that didn’t bring in the extra documents.

    My wife only just upgraded her ID to a Real ID this month because we’re planning a trip in December (Domestic flight). Otherwise, she would have had the “non-compliant” ID for another couple of years.

  4. dragonsteel33 Avatar

    I waited because they kept pushing the deadline back and I didn’t want to spend time and money on a document that it seemed like they would never enforce. I’m hoping to move states by the fall, so I was assuming they’d just keep pushing it back and I’d get a Real ID in California once I moved rather than waste the effort getting one in Washington for a few months

  5. TrillyMike Avatar

    I honestly think it’s prolly alotta ppl who have real id driver’s licenses already and just don’t realize it

  6. mycoolaccount Avatar

    I have mine, but in my state you had to go out of your way to get one, since the normal renewal for a license is either online or at a kiosk, neither of which you could get a real id from if you didn’t already have one. You had to go out of your way to set up an appointment at the dmv and bring all the extra paperwork.

  7. fleetiebelle Avatar

    I did the same thing as you–even though the Real ID deadline kept being pushed back, I got it the last time I renewed my license to get it over with. Mine renews next year.

  8. ALoungerAtTheClubs Avatar

    Florida has been issuing Real ID driver’s licenses for 15 years, so I wasn’t even aware there’s some kind of deadline until this post.

  9. Perdendosi Avatar

    If you travel by plane very often, it’s highly unlikely you missed it. But if you’re not a regular airline traveler, why would you take notice until you needed to?

    Something like 50% of americans have flown in the past 12 months, and 70-ish percent of Americans have flown in the past 5 years (old data here, but I’m extrapolating)

    https://www.airlines.org/new-survey-nearly-90-percent-of-americans-have-flown-commercially/

    But that still leaves hundreds of millions of Americans who haven’t flown since the pandemic. And if you haven’t flown in the last few years, you probably haven’t had a reason to hear about RealID, which principally affects passengers on domestic air travel.

    Think about the grandma who’s going to visit their new grand child, and travelling for the first time in 5 years. When would she have heard of, or cared about, RealID. So now she gets her ticket for a month from now and gets all these warnings that her driver’s license might not be good enough anymore.

    And all you need is a few thousand of those (a fraction of a percent, but that will still be a sizable sum absolutely), and you have a “panic”.

  10. No-Profession422 Avatar

    I have passport and military ID. No need for Real ID.

  11. KennstduIngo Avatar

    I have a passport so I haven’t been particularly motivated, but our DMV down here in NC has been a complete shit show since COVID. Long wait times to get an appointment and if you drop in, you can wait hours in line and then not been seen. Apparently, there might be ways around it if you are willing to travel to the boondocks, but I haven’t looked into it too much since I still have a couple years left to renew.

  12. Jumpy_Engineer_1854 Avatar

    Unfortunately if you keep pushing back the deadline like was done, people will erroniously assume that the deadline will never come to pass.

    For many people, in many states, the State DMV is excruciating to deal with and a major hassle even without the Real ID process. If people can avoid going to the DMV for any reason, they likely will. I think that constitutes the bulk.

    There are also an increasing number of Americans who’ve picked up a passport, and especially a passport card since it’s introduction in 2009, who know what they’re doing and are fine not upgrading their DL/ID if they don’t have to.

    There’s another, relatively small, minority that actually does have problems getting the docs together for RealID, but they should have been trying to get this done forever instead of putting it off.

    I think most of the rest are just clueless or don’t think it matters or are conspiracy-driven and see it as more government tracking.

  13. Dave_A480 Avatar

    I’m from Washington State.
    I have a military ID & my wife has a dependent ID card, so we are not part of this nonsense.

    That said, the way that Washington handled Real ID is a giant political cop-out: The Real ID rules don’t allow you to issue them to illegal immigrants.

    WA did not have the votes to do ANYTHING about RealID because of that: you had people grumbling about how making everyone a RealID recipient except illegals would be stigmatizing…. You had others not wanting to spend the money to have 3 different types of driver license (EDL, RealID, and illegal immigrant-OK)…. And of course those who think we should JUST have a RealID and tell illegals to walk….

    We also had an ‘Enhanced Driver’s License’ that was good for driving to Canada or Mexico without a passport, and was already RealID compliant.

    So they resolved to… Do absolutely nothing…

    They put ‘not for federal ID purposes’ on *everyone’s* regular driver’s license, and told people who need a RealID to apply for an EDL…. Which is of course expensive and takes a while to get…

    So that is why WA has a bunch of non-real-ID compliant people….

  14. NWXSXSW Avatar

    Not everyone flies often, and the burden should have been put on the states to ensure that everyone was in compliance, not individuals who can’t even find their seats on the plane.

  15. Savingskitty Avatar

    My regular driver’s license expires this month, so I didn’t see a reason to rush it.  It’s annoying though, because now I have to stand in line with all the last minute travelers.  

    I’m just hoping I’ll be able to get mine before I have to travel next month.

  16. LoisLaneEl Avatar

    I renewed mine at a kiosk with absolutely nothing but my old license. It was really easy. I got the real ID back during COVID when they first told us to

  17. stinson16 Avatar

    I only learned about it a few years ago, even though it was originally supposed to start in 2008. I probably learned about it from a sign at TSA, so I could definitely see how someone who doesn’t fly much and isn’t part of travel groups/subreddits wouldn’t have heard about it. And people who don’t read signs, which is super common, especially when you’re trying to hurry through TSA and not hold up the people behind you by reading a sign.

    My state (WA) only offers an enhanced license/ID for a Real ID, which is more expensive and you need to go in person for your first one. If you don’t know, an EID is like a passport replacement that allows you to cross the border by land or sea between Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Renewals are more expensive too. I have a passport and getting an EID was more hassle than I wanted.

  18. JackfruitCrazy51 Avatar

    I got it many years ago, when they first announced it. I have the type of personality that likes to get things done before deadlines. I’ve never paid a bill late, I’m never late to work, I pay my taxes as soon as I get all my forms, etc. The sooner I take care of things on my list, the less drama in my life.

  19. Magical_Olive Avatar

    I last renewed my ID during the first year of Covid, so I didn’t want to go to the DMV. I still need to go get my RealID sometime, but I don’t plan on flying any time soon so I’m willing to wait a few months.

  20. sherahero Avatar

    You only need it for flying as far as I’m aware and there are plenty of people who don’t travel or don’t fly.

  21. miles00001001 Avatar

    Georgia has been issuing them for permanent IDs since 2012. Getting it the first time was a hassle. Renewing is easy online.

    I didn’t know this was controversial until the freak out in the news recently.

  22. EffectiveSalamander Avatar

    I just got my enhanced ID last week. I knew it was coming, but I was getting by without it, so I didn’t get around to it. You can pre-apply and have your documents approved online. It saves time at the DMV. If you get an appointment, it saves even more time.

  23. Davmilasav Avatar

    My husband’s problem was that on some paperwork he’s “Junior” and on some he’s not. That all had to get straightened out before he could get a Real ID. Nevermind that he’s had a passport since the mid 1980s.

    I simply do not understand why you can’t walk in with a passport and walk out with a Real ID. You already had to do all that song & dance to get the federal ID. Having a passport should be an automatic way to get the little star on your license.

  24. bmadisonthrowaway Avatar

    I’ve renewed my RealID in California and IIRC it works exactly the same way as renewing your license pre-RealID. I didn’t need to bring all my documents back again.

    I’m slightly gobsmacked at the idea that people have never heard about this, are just thinking about getting this now, etc. The government has been pushing this deadline back for something like 15 years now. It feels like most of my adult life at this point, and I’m in my 40s.

  25. Electrical_Feature12 Avatar

    I predict it will be required to vote soon as well

  26. LizaBlue4U Avatar

    I did mine a few years ago along with the regular renewal. It wasn’t a big deal, even as a woman who has changed her name. In and out of the DMV in less than 10 minutes back when I did it. People I know did theirs on renewal too. I hear about the panic in the media, but don’t personally know anyone who is surprised or panicking. Are these the same people who rush to the post office late on April 15th to file their taxes? I’m guessing so.

    I’m in CA.

  27. PPKA2757 Avatar

    I finally now have one. I ignored the “mandate” for many years before ultimately caving and getting one for two reasons:

    1. Arizona state drivers licenses (those issued as not “real id”s) don’t expire until a person is 65 years old. So the license I got when I was 16 was valid up through the 2050’s – photo of teenage me and all. Real ID’s expire every 5-10 years or something like that, so if I had gotten it right when I was supposed to, I’d have already had to renewed it by now.

    2. The bullshit mandate “we promise, this time the deadline is for real” got pushed back so many times that it was comical – why would I believe them?

    I ultimately needed to get a new license so I bit the bullet. Such a dumb mandate/law.

  28. animepuppyluvr Avatar

    I had a passport with no plans to travel even in the country someday I didn’t need it. My license was gonna expire so i decided to get a real id instead because I didn’t wanna go back later if/when i actually needed it. Then when my husband’s license expired he got the real id too. It would been a waste to get t it before our cards expired, and would be a waste to get them just a year or whatever after we got regular licenses. I honestly forgot real ids were a thing until I made an appointment to renew lol

  29. mmaalex Avatar

    I didn’t, because I have been awake and alive the last two decades and aware of it all the way back to when congress passed it and a bunch of states rebelled against Bush creating a federal ID and how it was going to be the end of the world.

    Some people have inexplicably missed it. I have a co worker who has flown once a month for work for the last decade who just “found out” last month. There have been signs at every TSA checkpoint for 5+ years…

  30. danhm Avatar

    I just want to know, of all the symbol and color combinations to do with, why the hell did they pick gold stars???

  31. Efficient_Wheel_6333 Avatar

    I waited until I moved states just because TSA wasn’t being stringent about it at the airports. When I moved, it was just easier to get the Real ID and keep doing it-mine isn’t up for renewal until next year and I’ve got a passport as well. It makes my life a bit easier as well, even though I’ve only flown with it once. I don’t know about regular licenses, but with my Real ID, it’s got this barcode on the back that my grocery stores can scan if I’m buying adult beverages instead of having to manually type in the birthdate. They never did that with my regular driver’s license, even in the state I used to live in.

  32. Pitiful_Bunch_2290 Avatar

    If they didn’t know about the law, they have read, watched, and listened to nothing. As far as the rush, I think people assumed it would just get kicked down the road again because it’s happened so many times. The boy who cried wolf and all that. A lot of states took a long time to get the right equipment and tech to produce the IDs. Now, they’re all good to go, so it’s happening.

  33. terryaugiesaws Avatar

    I’ve known about it for years but never felt a need to get one. I have a passport that expires in 2034, and I’ve already got accustomed to traveling with it on domestic flights as of this year.

    I don’t care about the Real ID stuff, i just simply don’t want to spend time & money getting a new state ID because of a federal rule when I have a passport that satisfies said rule.

  34. Antitenant Avatar

    Had to renew mine this year (every 8 years) and they gave me an option of standard license or Real ID. I still picked standard license partly because I didn’t have to show up to the DMV.

  35. Sweet_Cinnabonn Avatar

    So many extra hoops!

    They kept putting it off, so I kept putting it off.

    Now I need to order a copy of my marriage license.

  36. crazycatlady331 Avatar

    I got a Real ID driver’s license a few months ago. My old one was about to expire. In Pennsylvania, the Real ID compliant license/ID cards are not the default and you must ask for them.

    It took me two visits because my birth certificate was not good enough to pass the DMV’s test (listed my middle initial instead of full middle name). I ended up having to go back to New York and get a copy of my birth certificate that listed my full middle name.

    All and all I spent about 10 hours on this bureaucratic nightmare.

  37. d16flo Avatar

    That’s definitely not true about MA only offering realIDs, I live in MA and I don’t have one because when I renewed my license most recently I could renew my regular one by mail without going to the DMV, but to get a realID I needed to have time during business hours to wait in line with a bunch of paperwork so I just renewed my regular one. I do have a passport so I’m not in a rush on the being able to travel piece

  38. Judgy-Introvert Avatar

    I live in a state that has the enhanced license. I got mine right away but some people I know waited because it kept getting pushed back. I think they assumed it just wouldn’t happen? For others, the enhanced is expensive, so cost is a factor as well.

  39. Tinman5278 Avatar

    “Which I find odd, because my state, Massachusetts only issued ReaID after the law changed.”

    Nah. That isn’t true. I live in MA as well. 5 years ago when I went in to renew my license I wanted a Real ID but was missing something stupid and they wouldn’t give me one so I ended up with a regular license again. Last year I finally got all my shit together and went in and got the Real ID.

    Even today, the Real ID is optional.

    https://www.mass.gov/how-to/renew-your-real-or-standard-passenger-class-d-or-motorcycle-class-m-drivers-license

  40. Zaidswith Avatar

    The amount of adults that don’t have their birth certificate, social security card, or other relevant documents is wildly concerning to me.

    I was telling people to take their documents, Google and check to see if they had everything, and then they’d come back to work and tell me they got the regular driver’s license instead because they didn’t know they’d need their birth certificate or whatever.

    Absolutely absurd. All of these people can use the Internet. It’s all public knowledge. If you can use maps to get to the office you can look up the paperwork requirements.

    I’m really sick of people saying they didn’t know when they’ve been told explicitly what to do.

  41. musical_dragon_cat Avatar

    In NM, I just had to pay an extra fee to get the gold star on my driver’s license. It was no different than any other time I renewed it, just an extra expense. I don’t recall having to bring in any extra paperwork, then again I did it at a third-party MVD so maybe it’s different at the federally-operated one.

  42. Petite7Writer Avatar

    Not all DMV provided service for Real ID – the one that provided the service the wait was ridiculously long.

    I first went to renew my Driving License at a location which did Real ID – was waiting in a line which stretched all the way outside and into the sidewalk outside the mall complex. Waited for almost 1 hour and the line might have moved like 10 feet in total. Looked up a location online which was like 10 miles away but it was not a full fledged DMV – booked an appointment, drove over there, renewed my license in under 1 hour. Later on I heard from few people that not everyone who waited in line got the opportunity to get their work done that day, many were asked to come another day – this even after waiting for hours for their turn.

  43. DuckGold6768 Avatar

    I’m waiting until my driver’s license expires to do it, which is coming up. Fewer life time trips to your RMV 🤷‍♀️

    I’ll just travel with my passport during the gap.

  44. WrongJohnSilver Avatar

    I live in New Jersey. We’ve known about the REAL ID stuff for a long time.

    But the process in NJ is so onerous, we’ve got the lowest level of REAL ID completions out there.

    We’ll all be stuck to using our passports.

  45. Historical_Age_9921 Avatar

    I’m in NJ.

    Only 17% of people in NJ have it.

    https://www.nj.com/news/2025/04/why-nj-has-the-lowest-real-id-numbers-in-america-its-not-what-you-think.html

    At this point I have to assume it is willful disobedience by the state honestly. I’ve tried to get one several times and always failed. It wasn’t even available as an option when I moved here in 2018 I don’t think. Now it requires an appointment. Everytime I have tried to schedule one every time slot at every DMV in the state has been booked 3 months out.

    I just use my passport.

  46. TrickWrap Avatar

    I had a Real ID from FL for like 10 years already. I renewed my FL license in 2022.

    I moved to Illinois last year and I had to present all my documents again to get an Illinois license. I didn’t have any official document with my full SSN, so I had to order a replacement SS Card and then go back with other documents. I mean if Real ID is a federal requirement, how is it possible that one state cannot accept a Real ID from another. I had to submit all original docs again.

  47. OceanPoet87 Avatar

    I have known about it for almost 20 years now. I’m surprised it took this long when you consider that the rule about requiring passports for Canada, Mexico,  and the Caribbean only took like 3 years but was passed around the same time.

    My only concern is that I have an Enhanced License which is like a hybrid of a real ID (can fly domestically and drive or its non driving equivalent) and a passport card (but can be used by land or sea  borders only for Canada and the Caribbean). An EDL proves citizenship where a real ID can be used by non citizens legally present or permanent residents. 

    Mine doesn’t have the star but it has the flag so its technically more compliant but I could totally see some low level grunt taking us to extra screening because they don’t know their own rules and I have an 8am flight to catch this summer for Hawaii.

    We usually fly once per calendar yesr since my parents live in CA, so the ID was important to us. We don’t want travel our passports for domestic travel.

  48. TheBimpo Avatar

    I did not “miss it”.

    I live in Michigan so I have an Enhanced ID in case I want to take a spur of the moment trip into Windsor and I have a passport if I want to leave the country.

    I can see this being an issue for infrequent/ignorant travelers, but the average person who flies has been bombarded with this information for years.

  49. cheekmo_52 Avatar

    I live in Illinois. Which only managed to start issuing real ID compliant driver’s licenses in six years ago, despite the law being 20 years old now.

    My state also allows safe drivers (those with no traffic tickets or accidents on their records) to renew via the mail. So my driver’s license is still not Real ID compliant.

    Currently you must make an appointment to get a Real ID, and there are no available appointments anywhere near where I live. Closest facility with available appointments is a literal four hour drive. They make it next to impossible to get a real ID. It will be easier to get a passport.

  50. LiqdPT Avatar

    Because in WA it cost extra money, extra paperwork in person requiring an appointment, and only US citizens are eligible. I have 2-3 other compliant IDs, so why bother?

  51. HairyHorseKnuckles Avatar

    From my understanding the “deadline” only relevant if needing to go in federal buildings or get through TSA. I have no plans on doing either anytime soon so I’ll just wait

  52. vingtsun_guy Avatar

    I moved from Virginia to Montana in 2017. I don’t remember Virginia having Real ID’s while I lived there, and there were no requirements for a Real ID in Montana when I first moved here – they became available in Montana in 2019.

    Here in Montana, it has been a bunch of push back on the requirement dates; it is currently set for May 7, 2025 (2 days!!). However, I got married in 2020 and, when my wife made her DMV appointment to have her name updated, I got mine updated to a Real ID as well.

  53. SugarsBoogers Avatar

    I went with all my docs, took the photo, and they told me my docs were not correct. I checked them 35 times. Now I do t want to spend the time or money to go again (I am a student, not in my home state, so I will wait until I move back next year.)

  54. Extension_Camel_3844 Avatar

    Some states, like Oregon, literally refused to do it until their backs were up against the wall. They finally started complying last year. I did mine last year when my license expired, it just seemed silly not to. It was easy peasy.

  55. Jdawn82 Avatar

    I waited because it was introduced shortly after I had renewed my ID. By the time that one expired, I was just a few months from moving to a new state and in my old state, Real IDs were like twice the cost and I didn’t want to get it for a short time and then have to pay a bunch later. And I’m glad I did because once I got to my new state, the Real ID was cheaper than my (not Real) ID from my previous state.

  56. Fyaal Avatar

    My drivers license doesn’t expire till the 2050s and I have a passport so… why bother?

  57. ProfessionalGrade423 Avatar

    I had never even heard of this until about a month ago. I moved to the uk in 2018 though so maybe that’s why. It seems like it’s been around longer than that though? I’m assuming because I have a passport I don’t need to worry about it. Lord knows where my marriage certificate is after all these years.

  58. Sadiemae1750 Avatar

    I don’t get people knowing nothing about it. When I went to renew my license I said nothing about it and the woman asked if I wanted a real id. And she explained to me what it was and how to get it. People, even if they didn’t get it, have at least heard of the whole thing.

  59. itsmyparty45 Avatar

    I’m from Illinois. I watch the news a lot so I knew about it. I don’t fly or enter federal buildings so I don’t feel the need to get one. I’ll renew my license in a couple of years and I’ll think about it then. The only problem is that I don’t know where my birth certificate is.

  60. bloopidupe Avatar

    It was offered for 26 dollars more or I could renew for 13. Something like that. It wasn’t high on my priority list

  61. IvanBliminse86 Avatar

    I dont really travel by plane. The moment I started considering a vacation overseas, I went and got it switched. They let me renew while I was at it, which saved me like 17 dollars.

  62. SVAuspicious Avatar

    I can’t speak to MA. I got Real ID on my DL as soon as it was available. Two weeks ago I renewed for the second time (so three DLs). MVA (our DMV because MD is special *sigh*) was very efficient and I was in and out in eight minutes including a pleasant chat with MD State Trooper who pointed me in the right direction (not his job) for renewal. I also have a passport, a passport card in my wallet, and a Global Entry card in my wallet. I think I’m good.

  63. alienintheUS Avatar

    Didn’t see the point. Im from.England originally so we always have all our passports up to date in case of travelling, planned or emergency. I think some people are panicking because they think they have to have it, but unless you’re flying and don’t own a passport, it’s not essential.

  64. evil_burrito Avatar

    I’m rocking a Global Entry card, which is just as easy to carry as a driver’s license.

    My state does do Real Idiot licenses, but you can’t renew by mail and there was some extra hoops you had to jump through. Seemed like a PITA and not worth it at the time.

  65. BankManager69420 Avatar

    I got my ID before they started issuing Real IDs. I don’t plan on traveling by plane anytime within the next six months, so I don’t have any reason to get one right now. If I plan a plane vacation, I’ll apply for one, but I have no wish to go to the DMV if I don’t have to.

  66. RobinFarmwoman Avatar

    I have a passport. I objected to the Patriot Act from which the Real ID program spring. Not getting it until I am forced to by my state when I renew my driver’s license.

  67. Dragonflies3 Avatar

    Have a passport and a global entry ID. No need to go to the DMV yet.

  68. DryFoundation2323 Avatar

    I don’t have any need for one. I have a US passport.

  69. Scav-STALKER Avatar

    How did I miss it? I literally hadn’t heard of it prior to planning to visit a family member who lives on a military base

  70. Responsible-Fun4303 Avatar

    I’m not getting one lol. I tried a few years ago, but somehow didn’t have enough documentation to get it (I was a new mom, had quit my job to be a stay at home mom, all the utilities were under my husbands name since he was the only earner and we didn’t have any credit cards). I have a passport and always bring it with when I travel anyway so I gave up and am fine to just carry my passport when flying. I’m in Minnesota, about an hour from the twin cities.

  71. MortimerDongle Avatar

    RealID is still optional in PA and has an extra cost associated

  72. ald9351 Avatar

    My real ID expires this month. I just renewed it today, no issues. My Apple state ID updated automatically by the time I walked out the door.

  73. boarhowl Avatar

    When I had to renew my license in person at DMV probably 7 years ago I used the computer to do it there and the question was worded really weird. They made it sound like I would need it if I was personally flying a plane myself, not a passenger on a commercial flight. And I was like uhh what I’m not a pilot, so I skipped it.

  74. my_metrocard Avatar

    I found out about it yesterday. I saw an ad on the bus. I’m kinda screwed because I can’t find my social security card.

  75. Boring_Investigator0 Avatar

    I actually got into a huge argument like eight years ago with someone about Real IDs in Texas. About whether or not all licenses were now going to be Real IDs and even then the answer was yes. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to people and I am shocked that everyone doesn’t know about it.

  76. -forbiddenkitty- Avatar

    I moved states. I kept my old state license until it expired which also happened to be the time I was moving from an apartment to my own home. I didn’t have all the documents finalized before getting the DMV appointment, so I couldn’t apply for a Real ID in my new state as they required documents that matched my address, which I didn’t have yet.

    I’m just going to wait until it expires before going through all the mess.

    I have a passport though, so I’ll still be able to vote.

  77. No_Sir_6649 Avatar

    I didnt know it was an issue. My last dl was already good. Still unsure how it works. Didnt we already need birth certificates.

  78. didyouwoof Avatar

    I had to renew my DL anyway, so it was no big deal. Just a matter of making an appointment and bringing some paperwork. And it was free (unlike my passport, which I had to renew a year or two later).

  79. adostes Avatar

    New York State. Only found out about it tonight because it’s on the front page. I had never heard of Real ID before today.

  80. dontlookethel1215 Avatar

    I renewed my license in 2019. I did not have a passport at the time, and as I recall, I was missing one document I needed for the Real ID. But it was the last day of my license term, so I renewed with the regular license. I’ve tried a few times off and on since then to find an appointment, but never had much luck. I went today and had it done – had to drive an hour away, and I made the appointment about 2 months ago. By this point I no longer really need it – i have a passport and Global Entry. [Talk about a difficult appointment to schedule!] But it’s done now. Yay.

  81. Help1Ted Avatar

    In Florida you can renew your license online every other time you have to renew. The last time I renewed I just did it online. And of course I didn’t get one. The time before that was before they started doing them in Florida. I personally wasn’t too concerned because I have my passport. I actually renewed it early to avoid any sort of rush. So, I just got mine recently.

  82. JLR- Avatar

    Wasn’t really aware of it.  No need for one and unsure if I have the proper paperwork anyways.   My retired military ID gets me on base anyways

  83. Silver_Catman Avatar

    Oh no I won’t be allowed in federal buildings how horrible! Anyway I have a passport and have no desire to get a real ID until the day my normal Drivers license is no longer legally recognized as a Drivers license.

  84. Carlpanzram1916 Avatar

    I’m honestly not sure who it’s affecting at this point. I don’t think you could renew a regular California drivers license since 2020 so the only people it would catch off guard is if you fly but don’t have a valid driver’s license?

  85. DonegalBrooklyn Avatar

    You needed a special appointment and they were very limited in my state and only certain places do it. That annoyed me so we just got passport cards instead.

  86. CSamCovey Avatar

    I have zero plans to hop on a domestic flight anytime soon and my license has to be renewed anyway.

  87. nancylyn Avatar

    I don’t have real ID because I have a passport and passport card. However I knew about the whole real ID thing and am also interested to see if anyone comments on the thread that they did not know about the requirement and deadline. I just heard Kentucky is pushing to extend the deadline “because so many people didn’t know about it” (I think it was Kentucky). But so far everyone who is commenting here knew about the deadline it seems, though a lot chose not to get the real ID because it is redundant If you have a passport.

  88. geneb0323 Avatar

    My wife recently got her’s because her license expired. It wasn’t a big deal. She just brought her social security card, certificate of naturalization, marriage certificate, and a bank statement (for the home address proof). It just came in the mail today, actually.

    I got mine about a year ago because I travel for work sometimes and my passport expired a few months after I started this job. I didn’t know when the requirement was actually going to go into effect so I just got it out of the way so there were no surprises later on.

  89. kaleb2959 Avatar

    The wild part of this is all the people saying they aren’t gonna bother because they already have a passport and don’t want to go to the trouble of gathering all the documentation.

    If you already have a passport, that’s all you need! lol

  90. Whitestealth74 Avatar

    Alabama here. Alabama made it difficult to get, closed down 80% of their DL locations, limited reservations to get it and you have to drive up to 2 hours (in some cases). Now Alabama is begging to have extra time.

    I got mine years ago, because I fly every other week, but it took me 3-4 months to get an appointment.

  91. vaspost Avatar

    I’m betting Trump will chime in tomorrow and say something like “I don’t think we’re going to bother with that ridiculous RealID thing”. Of course it will be an off hand comment at the end of a presentation conference.

  92. IHaveBoxerDogs Avatar

    I have a passport, so I have not bothered to get a Real ID. My driver’s license expires this year, so I’ll upgrade when I go to renew.

  93. JunkMale975 Avatar

    I moved to MS 8 years ago. They only started putting them on new driver’s licenses 7 years ago, I believe. So I missed it by that much. We can get our license for 8 years, so I’m due for a renewal this December. I think I can renew 6 months in advance which is next month, so I’ll miss the “deadline.”

  94. GuitarEvening8674 Avatar

    My state is optional and I have a passport so I saw no point in getting one

  95. big_ol_knitties Avatar

    I’m not getting it. I haven’t flown in 15 years and have no intention of doing it in the future.

  96. breebop83 Avatar

    I’m not planning on flying any time soon and I have a passport so I’m in no hurry.

  97. thepineapplemen Avatar

    I’ve never had a non-Real ID drivers license. Well, I have no clue about my learner’s permit. So it’s kinda surprising to me to find out most states have much lower Real ID compliance

  98. Forsaken_Distance777 Avatar

    Illinois has been spreading the information a lot. I have no interest in flying right now but I still well well-aware of all of this.

  99. maestrita Avatar

    My driver’s license is not RealID compliant. I’m in California and don’t plan to update it, since going to the DMV is a massive pain in the ass around here. For the longest time, I also didn’t have some of the documents they wanted to prove my address (was subletting with no formal lease agreement and no utilities in my name; for important mail, I still used a family member’s address). Now that I own a home, I just can’t be bothered and I don’t really need to. I have a passport and a global entry card, both of which are federally compliant ID.

  100. sadgirlintheworld Avatar

    I just have a passport

  101. MisterEarwig Avatar

    I’m in MN, moved here in 2023 and got my Real ID in Feb

  102. MoistTomatoSandwich Avatar

    I’m never getting it. Passports are acceptable forms in lieu of real IDs so I won’t bother with it. I also have my military ID (CAC) so if I don’t have my passport I’ll just use my CAC.