New Jersey Launches REAL ID Tuesdays to Boost Enrollment

New Jersey officials launched “REAL ID Tuesdays” to facilitate the enrollment of residents in federally compliant driver licenses. Beginning May 20, the initiative will offer around 5,200 additional appointment slots every two weeks at MVC licensing centers. This effort comes ahead of the May 7 enforcement of the federal REAL ID requirement, which necessitates a REAL ID-compliant license or another approved form of identification for boarding flights and accessing federal facilities. New Jersey ranks last among U. S.

states in REAL ID adoption, with just 17% of residents compliant, likely influenced by the state's 79% passport ownership rate, the highest in the nation. The cost to upgrade from a standard license to a REAL ID is $35, compared to the regular $24 fee, and the upgrade can be made during license renewal without changing the expiration date. NJMVC spokesperson William Connolly confirmed that the commission issues about 23,000 REAL IDs weekly and remains focused on efficiency and accessibility. Residents are urged to book appointments early, anticipating increased demand as the enforcement date approaches. The REAL ID Act was enacted in 2005 to enhance the security of state-issued identification documents.