Time to get Real: Deadline for Real ID approaching real fast
Travelers move through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day, Friday, May 24, 2024, in Atlanta. The deadline is May 7, 2025, to have either a Real ID to travel on domestic flights, access federal buildings and enter military bases or nuclear power plants. (Mike Stewart/AP file)
For four consecutive days in April, Ashley Gerst went to different driver services centers and county clerks’ offices around Shelby County to obtain a Real ID, but she was turned away each time.
Gerst was told to make an appointment because the wait times were too long to accommodate any more people. But no appointments were available until mid-June.
“We ended up giving up on it,” Gerst said. “We’re going to wait until the current situation with everybody trying to get it all done at once goes down.”
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REAL ID driver's license Real ID Act of 2005 Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Sophia Surrett
Sophia Surrett is a recent University of Alabama graduate, where she received her B.A. in news media and M.A. in journalism and media studies. She covers commercial real estate, economic development, residential real estate, restaurant real estate, and hospitality and tourism.
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