New Jersey Residents Scramble for REAL ID as DMV Appointments Vanish

The race is on for Americans to secure their REAL IDs before the looming May 7 deadline, as the new federal requirements kick in for domestic flights and access to certain federal buildings.

New Jersey, in particular, has become ground zero for appointment chaos. Despite the state adding thousands of new booking slots—including a fresh batch of 3,500 daily and another 4,600 on so-called "REAL ID Thursdays"—the Department of Motor Vehicles site recently showed zero available appointments. That's right, none. It's a digital stampede, and everyone's tripping over each other.

NJDMV insists it's leading the pack nationally, offering 49.5 operating hours weekly and more than 10,000 REAL ID appointments, on top of dispatching four mobile units across the state. Still, the demand seems to be outpacing even these beefed-up efforts. Would-be travelers and federal visitors are beginning to sweat as the clock ticks down.

The appointment struggle extends beyond New Jersey. Neighboring New York has launched its own "REAL ID Thursdays," and California is opening select DMV offices an hour earlier on weekdays to help meet the mad rush. Even Virginia has gotten creative, hosting four-hour, appointment-only events on weekends.

Back in New Jersey, residents are taking to Reddit to commiserate—and strategize. One user described the Sisyphean task of trying every location and every time of day, only to come up empty. Others offered hacks: book a regular appointment and ask nicely in person, try snagging a spot in the wee hours of Thursday morning, or just get a passport instead. (Honestly, the idea of setting an alarm for 4 a.m. to grab a DMV slot sounds like a special kind of modern misery.)

Pop-up REAL ID events are apparently happening across the state on weekends, but details are as elusive as the appointments themselves. Some users advise relentless refreshing and a lot of luck, while others say license renewals offer a good opportunity for an upgrade.

For anyone who's still unclear, the REAL ID is essentially a federally compliant driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID. Come May 7, 2025, you'll need one—or a valid passport—to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal buildings.

If you're still without a REAL ID, now might be the time to set your alarm, charge your devices, and maybe cross your fingers for good measure.