With less than eight months before the federal enforcement date, more than 7.1 million Californians have a REAL ID as of January 31, according to Department of Motor Vehicles data. This is a 381,570 increase over a month earlier when more than 6.8 million Californians had received a REAL ID. DMV Director Steve Gordon continues to encourage Californians to come to a DMV office now while wait times are low and offices are less crowded.
Starting October 1, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will require a valid passport or other federally approved document, like a REAL ID driver license or identification card, to board flights within the United States and access secure federal facilities and military bases.
“More than 7 million Californians are REAL ID ready and don’t have to worry about not being able to fly come October,” Gordon said. “The DMV invites Californians to complete the online application, gather their documents and come to a DMV office now to get a REAL ID – no appointment is necessary.”
The DMV began tracking the number of individuals who have REAL IDs as a more accurate reflection of the data. Since the DMV started offering the card on January 22, 2018, about 7.8 million REAL ID driver licenses and identification cards have been issued, including duplicates and renewals.
More than 2 million customers were served in DMV offices statewide in January 2020 – a record for any month. This includes transactions of all types, including REAL ID. The average wait time in an office during January was 16 minutes for those with an appointment and 43 minutes without an appointment.
“These numbers prove the technological solutions and process improvements we are making are indeed building capacity in the office to better serve more customers,” Gordon said.
The DMV encourages Californians to complete the online application for a REAL ID before they come to the office and to be prepared with the appropriate documents to speed the process for everyone.
To apply for a REAL ID, Californians must visit a DMV office and bring the following documents:
- One proof of identity* – original or certified (examples: valid passport, birth certificate)
*Legal name change document(s) if name on proof of identity is different from the name on the other documents (examples: marriage certificate, adoption papers) - One proof of Social Security number
- Two proofs of California residency – paper copies (examples: utility bill, bank statement)
Visit REALID.dmv.ca.gov for a complete list of acceptable documents and a link to the online application.
QUESTION: Do you have a REAL ID?
Just finished app on line and came to Claycord to see this notice.
No, I didn’t get one.
I renewed my drivers license last November and thought I had proper documents to get the Real ID.
But they told me the birth certificate that I had was not valid. It was from the hospital I was born with official seal and baby footprints.
I don’t travel, so I guess I don’t need it. My spouse will have to fly solo to travel to the place where parents want ashes scattered.
I mean it is her parents not yours.
Next will be the bodily inserted chip. As many refer: the ‘mark of the beast’.
@…—…
better yet, pay $100 for you ancestry.com/gov/gotyamf/ty
Got my in October of 2019
I have a passport. I will wait until I need to renew my license.
Got it in December…
I am opposed to having to show an ID of any kind simply to fly from one place to another inside my own country.
I also see that there are imminent threats and that an ID is a small price to pay.
I decided to stick with my Passport. I did apply for a Passport Card which I believe will be a little more convenient for Domestic travel.
I think if I lived in another state I wouldn’t hesitate to apply for a state ID card. But I won’t do it in CA, for a number of reasons.
Nope. Going to use my passport. I already went through the hassle of getting the passport, I don’t want to do it again for a driver’s license (and soon to be a domestic passport).
After a painful process which no-doubt violated the Geneva Conventions, I received a Real ID. Then, I had to confirm my request to make it really Real.
So, can Illegal Aliens get a Real ID? If so, what is the point of this exercise?
Doubt it. They’d need Birth certificate, proof of residency, SS card, etc.
I renewed my ordinary drivers license. I do have a passport but it expired a couple of years ago and I didn’t renew it since I have no plans to go out of the country. I don’t fly so I don’t need the Real ID for that either. I know I won’t have access to federal buildings.
Question: If I don’t have a Real ID I don’t have to go on federal jury duty do I?
Silly question: If I commit a federal crime how do they get around no Real ID, no access to a federal building?
Jury duty question just came up at home. Consensus was, they’d probably give you an extension and tell you you have 60 days to get the ID, or something like that.
Well if you want to get out of federal jury duty it looks pretty easy. You can’t get in a federal courthouse without the real ID. If you get a federal jury notice , call them and tell them your situation . See what they say.
I’m not advocating getting out of jury duty . I always go ,but the Mrs got a notice to go to SF Federal Court for jury duty. I called them and asked that she be allowed to go to Oakland , saving about 2 hours a day. No dice. They said it was presiding judges decision . I asked to talk to him. Turns out federal judges are too important to take calls from peasants.
They will probably tell you to bring a certified birth certificate, social security card, and proof of residency. The Government will screw you over anyway they can.
I got mine a year ago when I renewed my license. It wasn’t much of a hassle (other than the usual DMV hassle). I also have a passport, but it’s easier to use my license for domestic travel.
Yes we went through the process both my wife and I. So now I’m waiting for the exception the state will give to those issued drivers license that are illegal. How will this be verified and accomplished…
Does the photo signature say “ima cornholer”?
I have a Passport and will wait until I need to renew my DL, Not giving DMV an extra dime.
DMV is another waste of time and money. I am disabled went in with all of my paperwork and a specific case number on a Friday and they could not pull up my info despite having the paperwork in front of the clerk at the WC office. I ended up taking the joke of all written tests – 18 questions so that I would not have to pay another $37.00 when my bday came up later in the year. Oh, by the way, no wonder we have such disrespectful drivers on the roads in California- you are allowed to take the test 3 times if you can’t pass it the first 2 times.
I was at DMV for almost 2 hours. I did get my real ID but really! We have poured so much of our tax money into their upgrading the system-yet another black hole of Californian’s who pay more than their fair share-oh that is right we are run by the libbies and nannies who just love sucking our hard earned dollars to support their causes and give away freebies to the entitlement crowd so the Dem’s are guaranteed live time jobs with way better benefits than any of us working class folks can ever afford.
When I went to get mine, I asked why I needed this. I was told by the person at DMV, that if I did not get one I couldn’t fly. She didn’t specify where. But, also I wouldn’t be allowed into any Federal Buildings. Which she said would include banks. Anyway, I got mine, not happy with all the hassle I had to do to prove who I was. And if you were every divorced, that’s a whole other piece of paperwork you need to provide.
I suspect the only bank you wouldn’t be able to enter would be the Federal Reserve. If they start giving out free samples you will be out of luck.
@turn n burn—the clerk asked you why you wanted the ID? They didn’t ask me. I’d report them, not their business or part of the application process
All you naysayers—if you gather all the required paperwork, you can walk in any dmv and get your real is in less time that’s been reported in the past. Many are in and out in less than an hour at the Concord and Walnut Creek offices. Just be sure you bring the correct paperwork. And if you don’t plan to ever fly again in your life, you obviously don’t need to bother!
I asked why I needed to have a real ID? Why would I need to report them? I was told, when I asked, I need this to fly and if I ever wanted to get into a Federal Building, I need a Real ID.
I have the gold star on my license. My license also has “Veteran” on it.
Absolutely and it’s wonderful; so official looking. Just get it done as you may need it some time when your passport isn’t handy.
My license expired the first part of February….got the notice for renewal and update for Real ID first part of November. When I went online for an appointment in Concord, Walnut Creek, Vallejo and Napa, the soonest appointment was the end of February. Great. Not only did I need to round up all the paper work – birth certificate, marriage license, social security card and 2 proof of residency, I more than likely had to take a number and wait and wait and wait. Well, the DMV Gods shined on me and an appointment opened up in Petaluma at the end of January. The Gods continued to shine, got there early, checked in and got called even before the appointment time. The clerk was great. Even told me that it was starting to get crazy and he had no idea how they were going to handle the deadline coming in October 2020. People just weren’t going to be processed in time, too many people. So if you have to get one make the appointment as soon as you can, a few days before your license expires, even before you have the renewal in your hand.
I got mine when I renewed last November. I just dropped by the Concord DMV without an appointment, showed them my docs, they took my pic and I was gone in less than 60 minutes. It pays to get there right after they open.