Press Release - 10-29-2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, October 29, 2021
DON’T GET GROUNDED – BE ONE OF THE MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS WHO CAN FLY WITH A REAL ID
With federal deadline approaching, DMV Commissioner urges New Yorkers to prepare for takeoff with a REAL ID
Nearly 5 million New Yorkers have taken advantage of DMV’s REAL ID option since the state agency started offering it exactly four years ago this Saturday. But that still leaves millions more who need to upgrade their IDs before the federal deadline if they want to fly domestically.
“Don’t wait until the last minute,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Get your REAL ID today and you’ll be ready to fly anywhere in the U.S., at any time in the future.”
This Saturday marks the fourth anniversary of the first REAL ID being issued, and more than 4.6 million New Yorkers have opted for a REAL ID since that day. While the Commissioner is pleased with the progress, he said the current pace of upgrades won’t be enough to ensure every New Yorker who wants to fly is prepared before the May 3, 2023 federal deadline.
“If your license is up for renewal, you can get a REAL ID at no additional cost,” Commissioner Schroeder said. “A standard license will no longer be accepted to fly within the U.S., so the best time to get a REAL ID is now, especially if you are renewing a license.”
Schroeder added that customers whose licenses are not up for renewal can get a REAL ID for only $12.50.
In addition to the REAL ID, which also is needed to enter some federal buildings, DMV offers an Enhanced Driver License which meets federal REAL ID standards. An Enhanced Driver License costs $30 extra and can be used as identification when returning to the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico and some countries in the Caribbean.
DMV encourages everyone who is renewing or obtaining a license or non-driver ID for the first time to get a REAL ID. An office visit is required to bring in additional proof and to have a new photograph taken. Reservations are required at state DMV offices located in the metro NYC area, Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley, and in Albany and Syracuse. You can check what services are being offered at your local DMV office and make a reservation here: dmv.ny.gov/offices/.
Before you go to a DMV office to get a REAL ID or EDL, use our Document Guide to help you determine what documents you need to bring with you. The guide, which takes just minutes to complete, asks customers a series of short, simple questions to help them determine what proofs of identification they need to bring. It also notifies customers when only original documents will be accepted. Customers can then print a checklist to bring with them.
DMV also has issued guidance to help customers avoid the top 5 most common mistakes people make when seeking to get a REAL ID. One of the important reminders is to provide documentation if your name has changed.
For more information about REAL ID and Enhanced Driver Licenses, visit dmv.ny.gov/REALID.
To learn more about the NYS DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook and Twitter.
###