With less than two months left until a Real ID will be required to board domestic flights and enter secure federal buildings, a “supercenter” has opened its doors in the Chicago Loop. NBC Chicago’s JC Navarrete reports.
The deadline for getting a Real ID is fast approaching, but will you need one and what do you need to do to get it?
After multiple delays and date changes, the deadline to obtain a Real ID comes May 7, 2025. After May 7, residents will need Real ID-compliant identification cards to fly on domestic flights in the United States, though U.S. passports can also serve as documentation for those flights, according to officials. After the deadline passes, TSA agents are expected to adopt Real IDs in phases.
Here's what to know before you head to a DMV:
How do you know if you need a Real ID?
Beginning May 7, a Real ID-compliant form of identification will be required to board flights within the U.S. and enter certain federal facilities. Contrary to misinformation, a Real ID won't be needed to drive, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at a recent news conference.
"We want Illinoisans to make sure that they truly need a Real ID before coming to a facility" Giannoulias said, touting the state's new Real ID portal. "For instance, it will ask you if you have a U.S. passport, global entry card, or military ID. If you respond yes for any of them, it informs you that you do not need a Real ID. And even if you don't have one of those and you are not flying on a commercial airline on May 7 or in early summer, you also do not need a Real ID. If you've gone through the portal and determined that you need a Real ID, it will present you with DMV walk-in options and let you know how you can schedule an appointment at a facility near you."
The Illinois Secretary of State states Real IDs are "optional" for many on its online portal. More information can be found here.
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“Most Illinoisans do not need one before May 7 and they can still get one after that date. Before visiting the supercenter or any of our DMVs, I urge you to confirm that you actually need a REAL ID by visiting realid.ilsos.gov," Giannoulias' office said.
Where can you get a Real ID?
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A large former Walgreens building in Chicago's Loop is often used as a "voting supersite" during election season. But these days, 191 N. Clark St. is dubbed the "Real ID Supercenter."
Giannoulious announced the new downtown supercenter, equipped with 30 individual service counters, earlier this month. The center, which accommodates walk-ins only, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Photos and video from the supercenter have showed long lines, winding around for blocks.
The Real ID supercenter comes the Illinois Secretary of State's office announced a slew of initiatives around getting a Real ID in Illinois, including additional hours at DMVs, as well as an online portal to help determine which residents may need one.
As part of the ongoing efforts to work through the increased demand, the office added nearly 2,500 additional daily appointments at the 44 appointment-only DMVs in Chicago and its suburbs, according to a press release.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has a section of their website that allows residents to make appointments to get their Real ID-compliant licenses and cards. But beware, officials say, Real ID appointments may be hard to get.
"Due to the federally-mandated Real ID requirements, our facilities and website have been overwhelmed with requests for Real IDs," a message on the Illinois Secretary of States website said. "As a result, we’re asking everyone to make sure they really need a REAL ID before booking an appointment or visiting a facility. The May 7th date is NOT a final deadline and everyone can travel with a valid U.S. Passport. Thank you."
What do you need to get a Real ID? Here's a checklist
Below, you'll find a checklist of all the necessary documents you will need to submit at a DMV facility.
There are four items that residents will need in order to obtain a Real ID-compliant card:
- Proof of identity and U.S. citizenship or lawful status. Bring in one of the following documents: an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate; a U.S. passport or passport card; an Employment Authorization Document, Form I-766; a Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551; or an unexpired foreign passport with affixed visa and approved Form I-94. For a complete list, please view the Acceptable Identification Documents Chart.
- Proof of full Social Security number (SSN). Bring in one of the following documents: a Social Security card; W-2; pay stub or printed electronic deposit receipt bearing your name and full SSN; SSA-1099 Form; or Non-SSA-1099 Form. Original documents are required.
- Two (2) residency documents. This includes documents such as a utility bill, rental agreement, mortgage bill or medical document. Hard copy documents are required. Images from a cellphone are not accepted, but you may print the image (ex: bank statement) and provide the printed copy. For a complete list, please view the Acceptable Identification Documents Chart.
- Proof of signature. This includes documents such as credit/debit card, cancelled check or current Illinois DL/ID. For a complete list, please view the Acceptable Identification Documents Chart.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the cards will cost $30, the same cost for a regular Illinois driver’s license or identification card.
