REAL ID

[Anonymous]

Yes you can walk in. You can even do a “call ahead” to start your place in line. In VA I think this is called the “E ticket”. If you’re close, try the new VA DMV office off Braddock Rd in Ffx, across from the cemetery. I did the e ticket couple months back. In and out in under 25 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied online and it said I need an appointment, but the appointments are not until July. Can I just walk in? Most of the locations nearby are all full until July.

I tried that a few times the last few years. Nope. Even if everyone is just sitting around with no customers doing nothing, they won't see you unless you have an appointment.

Government at work. It's nationwide like that now since 2020 apparently.

Inaccurate.

You can now walk in for a Real ID. As long as you have everything you need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I walked in to an Arlington DMV the week before Real ID became mandatory for flights and waited less than 30 minutes. You can put your name on the list online before you go.

Same. I did walk-in and didn't wait long. I waited longer than the people with an appointment. But not too long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing like the last minute eh?

+1
I'm generally a disorganized person and I got mine in 2022.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied online and it said I need an appointment, but the appointments are not until July. Can I just walk in? Most of the locations nearby are all full until July.

I tried that a few times the last few years. Nope. Even if everyone is just sitting around with no customers doing nothing, they won't see you unless you have an appointment.

Government at work. It's nationwide like that now since 2020 apparently.

Inaccurate.

You can now walk in for a Real ID. As long as you have everything you need.

Guess Trump finally did something good huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing like the last minute eh?

+1
I'm generally a disorganized person and I got mine in 2022.

Ok. We'll put your trophy in the mail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied online and it said I need an appointment, but the appointments are not until July. Can I just walk in? Most of the locations nearby are all full until July.

I tried that a few times the last few years. Nope. Even if everyone is just sitting around with no customers doing nothing, they won't see you unless you have an appointment.

Government at work. It's nationwide like that now since 2020 apparently.

Inaccurate.

You can now walk in for a Real ID. As long as you have everything you need.

When did that change? Wasn't like that just a few months ago.

I'm not exactly sure. But I know when I looked into getting a Real ID about a year ago, when I moved and needed to change my address on my license anyway, you needed an appointment. At that time, for some annoying and inexplicable reason, I couldn't make an appointment online ... so I gave up and just changed my address online, and they mailed me the license and I pushed off getting the Real ID. I think this was May of 2024. Then I moved again about six weeks ago, and wanted to go to the DMV to get my new license with the latest address change because I've lost weight and look different and needed a new picture. Figured I'd finally just get my real ID, but when I tried to make an appointment online I ran into whatever problem I had last time. So I just went to the DMV as a walk-in, made sure I had all the stuff I needed for Real ID, and told the guy managing the line that I needed to change my address but I wanted to get a Real ID if it was possible without an appointment. He checked my documents, said I could get the Real ID without an appointment now, and pointed me in the direction of a (long-ass) line. There were lots of us -- this was apparent because there was a short Real ID line for those with appointments and a longer one for the walk-ins.

TLDR: The change to allowing walk-ins was recent.

[Anonymous]

Just get a passport card when you get or renew your passport. I think you can order one separately as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing like the last minute eh?

+1
I'm generally a disorganized person and I got mine in 2022.

Ok. We'll put your trophy in the mail.

🏆

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied online and it said I need an appointment, but the appointments are not until July. Can I just walk in? Most of the locations nearby are all full until July.

I tried that a few times the last few years. Nope. Even if everyone is just sitting around with no customers doing nothing, they won't see you unless you have an appointment.

Government at work. It's nationwide like that now since 2020 apparently.

Inaccurate.

You can now walk in for a Real ID. As long as you have everything you need.

When did that change? Wasn't like that just a few months ago.

I'm not exactly sure. But I know when I looked into getting a Real ID about a year ago, when I moved and needed to change my address on my license anyway, you needed an appointment. At that time, for some annoying and inexplicable reason, I couldn't make an appointment online ... so I gave up and just changed my address online, and they mailed me the license and I pushed off getting the Real ID. I think this was May of 2024. Then I moved again about six weeks ago, and wanted to go to the DMV to get my new license with the latest address change because I've lost weight and look different and needed a new picture. Figured I'd finally just get my real ID, but when I tried to make an appointment online I ran into whatever problem I had last time. So I just went to the DMV as a walk-in, made sure I had all the stuff I needed for Real ID, and told the guy managing the line that I needed to change my address but I wanted to get a Real ID if it was possible without an appointment. He checked my documents, said I could get the Real ID without an appointment now, and pointed me in the direction of a (long-ass) line. There were lots of us -- this was apparent because there was a short Real ID line for those with appointments and a longer one for the walk-ins.

TLDR: The change to allowing walk-ins was recent.

Interesting. Maybe it's just for RealID stuff that they let you walk-in since it's near the deadline? Or maybe they finally got off their duff and opened back up DMV's for normal business now due to some changes from Trump or something.

Hopefully the latter. Waiting months for an appointment that takes 10 min is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

NP, walked into the Tysons location two weeks ago around 9:30am. The whole process took around 30 minutes. Just be aware that they send you the new license so if you are traveling you need to do this at least 2 weeks ahead minimum

[Anonymous]

Drive to the closest appt. Real ID has been known for years and years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing like the last minute eh?

It’s not really fair how they’re doing this. People only had a decade to get one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing like the last minute eh?

It’s not really fair how they’re doing this. People only had a decade to get one.

I got mine in Feb 2020 and I felt like I was “late” then!

[Anonymous]

TSA urges people to stop trying to use their Costco ID to fly
https://www.wsfa.com/2025/06/06/tsa-urges-people-stop-trying-use-costco-card-sufficient-real-id/#jws1au56yepvkb57za6d23t2eoolh67