How hard was it getting Real ID? In my case, real easy
As I left the office at lunchtime to get my Real ID driver’s license, I joked that I wasn’t sure when I’d return. My experience shows it may be time to discard that old impression of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
I got my Real ID at the driver’s license center on MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township in
45 minutes. The process went smoothly.
That happened because the staff was efficient and because I went prepared. I researched what documents were needed and took them with me.
I went there
Oct. 18. When I walked through the door, there was a short line at the check-in desk. When my turn came, I explained why I was there. The worker asked if I had my documents to prove my identity, took a quick look to verify that I did, gave me a number and told me to take a seat.
The seat, I’ll add, was padded and comfortable.
My number came up in 33 minutes. By the time I walked to the counter, an employee had the forms ready. First, though, he needed to see my paperwork to verify my identity, which is the point of the federally mandated Real ID. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the government wanted to standardize identification to beef up security at airports and federal buildings.
I had my birth certificate with a raised seal, my Social Security card and several documents with my name and address — utility bills, mortgage statement, vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal notice. I needed to show only one. The renewal notice was on top of the pile and it sufficed, along with my driver’s license.
I brought more than required because I wasn’t sure which ones would pass muster. Did I need something in my name alone, or could I show a bill that also had my wife’s name on it? I also wasn’t sure if the bill had to include my middle initial.
My birth certificate has my full middle name on it, but my Social Security card has only my middle initial. I feared that may trip me up. It didn’t.
With my identify verified, I filled out the forms. The worker marked the few sections I had to complete. The information required was brief and basic — name, driver’s license number and contact information. I had to answer a few questions about whether I was licensed in another state or prohibited from being licensed in Pennsylvania. Negative on both.
I paid with a credit card, $60.50.
The worker scanned my forms and documents, voided my current driver’s license by punching holes through it, and sent me to the next waiting area to get my Real ID license.
As I walked to the next waiting area, my number was being called. I had my photo taken, answered the standard questions about whether I wanted to be an organ donor and was registered to vote. Yes on both.
Not counting the wait time, processing my Real ID application and creating the license took 10 minutes.
Even better, the picture on my license looks about the same as the one I had taken in October 2015 for my previous license. I must be aging well.
The old and new license contains identical information. It’s organized differently, though. There’s also a gold star on the new one to indicate it’s a Real ID.
I didn’t have to get a Real ID license, but it made sense. My license was expiring, so I had to get a new one. And I needed to have a form of Real ID to meet the Oct. 1, 2020 requirement. Without one, I wouldn’t be able to board a plane or enter a federal building.
I don’t fly often, but I visit government buildings frequently as part of my job.
There are other forms of Real ID, including passports and military identification. My passport is expired, so that wasn’t an option.
Getting a license to use as Real ID made the most sense to me. I always carry my license. Even if I had a valid passport, that would mean I would have to carry it.
Getting the Real ID license costs $30 more than renewing a standard license. I would have had to pay more than that to renew my passport. And that $30 fee is a one-time expense. When I renew my Real ID license, I’ll pay the standard license renewal cost, currently $30.50.
I also figured that by getting my license now, I’d be beating the rush. A lot of people don’t have Real ID yet, and I expect there will be a last-minute scramble next summer. The Morning Call’s Road Warrior columnist, Tom Shortell, has warned about that.
He has also patiently answered many questions from readers about the Real ID process, specifically what documents are necessary to prove your identity.
My experience shows that if you have your paperwork in order, getting a Real ID license shouldn’t be a hassle. But I’ll echo Tom’s calls to take care of that sooner rather than later.
Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com.