Real ID Deadline Means Big Crowds At Nevada DMV

Do you have your Real ID? Better get it fast because the deadline is fast approaching.

If you don’t have a passport and you're planning to fly, you will need a Real ID, starting May 7th.

I decided to drive by a Las Vegas DMV at around 3pm. They say if you get there later in the day, they are most likely to let you in before they close the doors. The line was long, and I'm pretty sure most of the people did NOT get in. Although, I hope I am wrong.

The Real ID is an upgraded state-issued identification card that meets security requirements that were mandated in a 2005 law passed after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

You might already have a Real ID. Look at your driver’s license or state ID card in the upper right-hand corner. If you have a white star in a yellow circle, or in the outline of Nevada, then you have a Real ID. If the star is missing, it is not a Real ID.

If you want to get your Real ID, you need to take certain documents to the DMV. But at this point, you can expect a lot of company. Yes, the legal ID requirement has been a thing for 20 years, but now with the Real ID deadline looming, there is a mad rush to get it.

Just stopping by the Nevada DMV probably isn't going to do it. Make an appointment online. If you're not immediately flying, you are fine with the license or ID you have. But if you are flying you will need it - or a passport By the deadline.

The TSA plans to enforce Real ID requirements beginning May 7th.