New Jersey Residents Frustrated as Real ID Appointments Hit a Wall Statewide

New Jersey residents are hitting a wall as they scramble to secure Real ID appointments ahead of the looming May 7 deadline. With federal enforcement about to kick in for domestic flights and certain federal buildings, the Garden State’s DMV site is showing a grand total of zero available Real ID slots.

This is pretty wild, considering that on the very same day, over 51,000 appointments were open for regular license renewals and more than 13,000 for non-driver IDs. If you’re lucky enough to be within your renewal period, you can actually upgrade to a Real ID during that appointment. But as for snagging a dedicated Real ID slot? Good luck.

The New Jersey DMV’s automated phone service admitted, "the demand for Real ID now is extraordinarily high," which is probably the understatement of the year. The department claims it adds 3,000 new Real ID appointments every business day at 7 a.m., but you’d have to be faster than a sneaker drop to catch one.

So far, 1,381,916 compliant IDs have been issued statewide, according to the NJMVC. They say they’re processing record numbers and looking to expand capacity, but for now, the scramble continues.

If you have a valid passport, you can use that for flights and federal buildings. But if not, the expedited passport process takes two to three weeks and comes with extra fees. Some AAA branches offer Real ID services in other states, but—no surprise—New Jersey didn't make that list. For those still searching, AAA recommends calling your local branch to see what’s up, but don’t hold your breath if you’re in NJ.

Applicants will need two proofs of address, one proof of Social Security, and six points of ID. That’s a lot of paperwork just to get on a plane, but rules are rules.

Social media is lighting up with frustration. One user posted, "No one in New Jersey can get an appointment for a Real ID." Another wrote, "Just par for the course for NJ. No Real ID appointments available. GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ." Others are questioning why the state isn’t converting those thousands of license renewal slots to Real ID appointments, which honestly seems like a pretty reasonable idea.

Some residents say they’ve been checking the DMV site for months without ever seeing an open slot. The deadline is just weeks away, and the only thing more elusive than a Real ID appointment in New Jersey right now might be a short line at the DMV.