CHICAGO (WAND) — The deadline for Illinoisans to get their REAL IDs is now one year away.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced his 'Get Real Illinois' campaign with the hopes of getting as many residents signed up before the inevitable rush on DMV facilities.
"As the new deadline approaches, demand for REAL ID driver's license and state IDs will inevitably increase and waiting until the last minute will create headaches and heartaches at airports and lines at our DMV facilities." Giannoulias continued, "I want to make sure that we are ready for this change."
Once May 7, 2025 comes around, if you don't have a REAL ID, you won't be able to get on a plane or enter some government facilities.
"The idea is that we want to know who is boarding our aircraft and we want to verify that the person standing at the checkpoint is who they say they are. From our perspective at TSA, REAL ID gives us another important tool," Jim Spriggs, the Federal Security Director at TSA, said.
When you make your appointment, you will need to bring in all of the necessary paperwork to walk out with a REAL ID.
Giannoulias said, "When you apply for a REAL ID, you'll need to show proof of the following: proof of identity, proof of date of birth, proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of a valid social security number, two forms of proof of Illinois residency and verification of your written signature."
Right now, less than 25% of Illinois residents have a REAL ID.
Click here to learn how to apply for a REAL ID.
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