Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, officials have issued a warning about long wait times and overcrowding at their offices across the US, as the deadline for airline passengers to show a Real ID to board domestic flights looms.
From May 7, travellers that are over 18 years must have Real ID-compliant identification to gain access through Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints or have valid passports.
The requirement for a Real ID follows a 9/11 Commission recommendation, which led to Congress to passing the Real ID Act in 2005.
It requires a minimum security standards for driver’s licenses and government identification cards.
People can apply for a Real ID by fixing an appointment at their local DMV office.
Transportation Director Mike Carroll told a news conference on Tuesday that in Pennsylvania, around 26% of the state’s population have Real IDs,
Carroll warned that DMV offices in the state could experience large crowds as the deadline approaches.
“There’s a lot of procrastinators out there, and our driver's license centers have real serious issues with respect to a lot of folks showing up,”; Carroll said.
