Real ID deadline hits tomorrow — Thousands in NJ still can’t get appointments

✈ Everyone flying domestically needs a Real ID starting tomorrow

🚗 Getting an in-person appointment in NJ has been tough

✈ One NJ lawmaker wants to help

TRENTON — We are just a couple of weeks away from Memorial Day weekend — the unofficial start of the summer season.

But as summer travel ramps up, New Jersey residents scramble to get their Real IDs.

When they visit the Motor Vehicle Commission website to make an appointment, many are met with a frustrating message, “No Appointments Available.”

The MVC has been adding more appointments in response to the increased demand, most recently with its “Real ID Tuesdays,” where 52-hundred appointments have been added, and will be held every two weeks, starting May 20. It’s also been offering emergency slots for residents with imminent travel plans.

But, still, there are many New Jerseyans left in limbo, unable to secure an appointment. Beginning tomorrow, May 7, those without a Real ID or a passport will encounter new domestic travel limitations.

So, Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, D-Burlington, has introduced a bill that would require the MVC to establish and administer an online application for Real ID identification cards and licenses.

“There’s no reason, in the 21st century, that we should still be relying solely on in-person appointments,” Greenwald said.

Those appointments are time-consuming, requiring residents to take off work or travel long distances, he added.

States like Pennsylvania have already established online portals for residents to apply for a Real ID, while New York allows residents to submit their documents online for pre-screening before going to an in-person appointment.

“We have heard from numerous constituents who are frustrated by the inability to get an appointment. This bill aims to alleviate that headache, increase compliance, and ensure no one is left facing unnecessary disruptions at the airport,” Greenwald said.

Under his bill, the MVC would be required to establish an online process for New Jersey residents to apply for a Real ID license. The MVC would accept electronically submitted copies of identity and lawful status documents. Once the MVC confirms the applicant has met all the necessary federal requirements, their application will be approved and processed without the need for an in-person appointment.

Greenwald believes this process will be easier, leading to a stress-free summer for all.

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