REAL ID enforcement has begun in New Jersey. Here’s what to know

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New Jersey ramped up its REAL ID rollout this spring, adding thousands of daily appointments ahead of a looming federal deadline requiring the upgraded license for commercial air travel.

But even as the May 7 deadline arrived, the Transportation Security Administration announced a last-minute reprieve: Travelers without a REAL ID can still board flights, for now, though they should expect longer security checks.

William Connolly, press secretary for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, said additional appointments will continue to be available with the REAL ID emergency issuance program.

“These appointments are only available for those that meet specific requirements about a life-or-death emergency or travel plans within 14 days, and for those individuals that do not have an acceptable form of identification to clear [TSA] checkpoints,” he said.

What are the life-or-death requirements?

According to the MVC, a REAL ID emergency appointment is available to those who need to travel by plane domestically in the next 14 days because of a life-threatening illness or injury, or if an immediate family member has either died, is dying or has a life-threatening illness or injury.

Who qualifies as an immediate family member?

The following individuals are considered to be immediate family members, according to the MVC:

• A parent
• A legal guardian
• A spouse
• A sibling
• A grandparent

Aunts, uncles, cousins or any other relative is not considered to be an immediate family member.

Proof of the emergency

For the emergency appointment, the MVC will require documentation, which could include:

• A death certificate
• A statement from a mortuary
• A letter from a hospital, on hospital letterhead, signed by a doctor explaining the life-threatening medical condition

If the document submitted is not in English, the MVC requires that it be translated by a professional translator.

Proof of ‘travel plans’

Residents will also have to:

• Confirm they don’t have a passport (up to one year expired from the travel date) or other TSA-approved forms of ID
• Submit a copy of an airline ticket
• Provide an invoice with travel dates and proof of payment

In addition to that, residents will need two proofs of residential address, a verifiable Social Security number and identity documents that add up to six points of ID, Connolly said. A complete list of identification requirements and options can be found online.

REAL ID confusion

Tracy Noble, the New Jersey public relations manager for AAA Club Alliance, said while there has been significant focus on the REAL ID deadline, there is a concern that those with limited financial means and individuals who are not computer-literate and need REAL ID could get lost in the shuffle.

“This is a great time for people to have those conversations with their family members, especially if there is travel on the horizon,” she said.

The cost of an emergency REAL ID appointment

An emergency REAL ID appointment will cost an additional $80 shipping fee.

“This fee is solely to cover the expedited shipping, it does not cover the cost of the actual license,” he said. “MVC is not making additional money off of this.”

The cost of the actual REAL ID license in New Jersey is $35.

To qualify for an emergency REAL ID appointment, residents need to make an appointment through the online portal.

Individuals who get an emergency REAL ID appointment will be scheduled and serviced at the MVC’s Trenton Regional Center.

Connolly said demand for REAL ID in New Jersey and across the nation has skyrocketed over the past several months, and the MVC continues to offer 3,500 new appointments every day, along with mobile REAL ID appointment vehicles traveling around the state. The REAL ID Thursdays initiative also offers an extra 4,600 appointments every week.

He stressed that REAL ID is not mandatory, and said that many New Jersey residents, if they do not have a REAL ID, probably have a passport or another federally approved ID they can use to board a plane or enter a federal building.

“As we navigate this really high demand for REAL ID right now, we want our customers to make a considered choice and decide whether they need to get a REAL ID at this exact moment,” he said.

Connolly said the MVC cannot guarantee it will be able to accommodate all appointment requests, and the emergency REAL ID appointment program will continue for the foreseeable future.