FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
DMV URGES NEW YORKERS TO GET A REAL ID BEFORE FEDERAL DEADLINE
Beginning May 3, 2023, REAL ID Compliant Documents Will be Required for US Flights
New Yorkers Can Get a REAL ID at No Added Cost
DMV Re-Launches Promotional Campaign at NY Airports to Educate Consumers
One year from today, the federal government will require a REAL ID or other federally accepted document like an Enhanced ID or a Passport to board a flight within the United States. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is urging New Yorkers to apply for a REAL ID or Enhanced ID now to avoid the last-minute rush next year.
To help inform New Yorkers about the federal requirements to get a REAL or Enhanced ID, the DMV also announced that it will be making staff available in airports throughout New York State beginning next week. Informational tables will be set up at Albany International Airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Long Island MacArthur Airport at peak travel times.
“The time to get a REAL ID or Enhanced ID is now rather than waiting until the last minute,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “I encourage customers to visit our website, social media pages, or talk to our staff at the airports to find out what they need to apply for a REAL ID or Enhanced ID so they can be successful on their first visit to a DMV office.”
New Yorkers whose license or ID is up for renewal now can get a REAL ID at no additional cost to the renewal fee, and those seeking to upgrade now when not up for renewal pay an extra $12.50. In addition to the REAL ID, which is also needed to enter some federal buildings, the DMV offers an Enhanced ID which meets federal REAL ID standards. An Enhanced ID 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. A passport is also acceptable as a REAL ID-compliant document.
Starting May 3, 2023, a standard license or non-driver ID will not be accepted to fly within the U.S.
The federal REAL ID Act requires customers applying for a REAL ID or Enhanced ID to visit a DMV office to prove who they are and to have a new photograph taken. Many DMV offices require customers to make a reservation, which customers can do online at dmv.ny.gov/offices [1]/.
Before going to the DMV, New Yorkers are encouraged to use our Document Guide [2] to help determine what documents they need to bring to the office. The guide, which takes just minutes to complete, asks customers a series of short, simple questions to help them determine what proofs of identification and residency they need to bring. Only original documents, or certified copies of certain documents, will be accepted.
DMV also issued guidance to help customers avoid the top 5 most common mistakes [3] 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 [4] and watch the DMV’s REALID informational videos [5] on YouTube.
To learn more about the NYS DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov [6], or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook [7], Twitter [8] and Instagram [9].
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