In anticipation of a rush for Real IDs ahead of a federal May 7 deadline, the Illinois secretary of state’s office is opening 12 DMV facilities around the state on Saturdays and expanding hours at other facilities for residents who still need to register for the document.
The extended hours begin this Saturday and will run through May 10. Twelve of the facilities will be open to walk-in customers on Saturdays, for the first time, starting at 7:30 a.m. In addition to the Chicago DMV at 7301 W. Lexington Ave., the facilities in Addison, Aurora, Des Plaines, Elgin, Joliet, Lake Zurich, Melrose Park, Plano, St. Charles, Waukegan and Woodstock will have Saturday hours.
Six other DMV facilities that are already open on Saturdays will be expanding their hours to 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for appointment-only services.
“What we’re seeing is unprecedented traffic at our facilities and to our website,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. “It’s like nothing we’ve ever heard of. And I will tell you, I am bewildered, flabbergasted and almost desperate. We have been discussing the importance of Real IDs for over a year, and now we’re dealing with this overwhelming demand, and so we are all hands on deck to do everything we can.”
Giannoulias said he’s paying employees overtime and treating the situation with a “war room mentality.”
Giannoulias said residents should check his office’s website to make sure they have the necessary documents to apply for a Real ID before visiting a DMV. He also said he’s had residents wait in lines only to realize they didn’t need a Real ID when they got to their appointment. Guidelines on the secretary of state’s website can help residents prepare for their visit.
After almost two decades of extensions for an ID system put in place after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, anyone without a passport and over the age of 18 will be expected to have a Real ID in order to board a plane and access certain federal facilities and nuclear power plants after May 7.
Gianoullias said there’s been confusion over what a Real ID is needed for — it will not be required either for driving nor to prove citizenship. For those who have no plans to get on a plane anytime soon, he emphasized there’s no hurry on Real ID.
“We will not stop issuing real IDs on May 7, we’re issuing them forever,” Giannoulias said.
The May 7 deadline, in reality, remains a somewhat pliable one.
A January ruling by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration allows federal agencies, including the TSA, to lead a phased REAL ID enforcement approach due to fears some states could be overwhelmed by the high number of residents still needing the document.
As it stands, people without a Real ID or passport will still be allowed to board plans after May 7, with a warning from TSA. TSA’s Great Lakes regional spokesperson, Jessica Mayle, said the agency will clarify its enforcement plan closer to the May 7 deadline.
The secretary of state’s office has also increased the number of available daily appointments by nearly 2,500 at the 44 appointment-only DMVs in Chicago and the suburbs. The office promoted Real IDs at the Chicago Auto Show this month, resulting in about 1,400 Real ID applications processed at the show.
After a REAL ID application is submitted, residents will receive a temporary paper driver’s license or state ID, which Mayle said will not be accepted at airports. A new REAL ID will be mailed within 15 days after the application is made. Giannoulias recommends residents apply for a Real ID 30 days before any scheduled flight plans after May 7.
More information on Real ID requirements can be found on the secretary of state’s website.