Editor's Note: For more on what Giannoulias said during his press conference click here.
Come May 7, you'll need an Illinois Real ID or a U.S. Passport in order to board of domestic flight, and appointments to obtain the new ID are filling up.
"Appointments for Real ID [are] growing in numbers every day," Irene Paterno with the Illinois Secretary of State's office told NBC Chicago last month.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said last year that his office was stepping up efforts to ensure that residents get REAL ID-compliant identification prior to the May 2025 deadline, but acknowledged there are "tremendous concerns" about what will happen as the deadline arrives.
“We feel pressure ... Our facilities will swell up, and it will be a problem if people don’t get out and get their REAL ID’s," he said at the time.
Thursday, Giannoulis is expected to hold a press conference to "clear up confusion" ahead of the deadline, about who needs to obtain one and why. The update, expected to take place at 11 a.m., will stream in the video player above once it begins.
"The primary reason for Illinoisans over the age of 18 to obtain a REAL ID is to fly domestically on a commercial aircraft after May 7," Giannoulias' office said, in advance of the news conference. "Individuals who have a valid U.S. passport and those under the age of 18 will not need a REAL ID to fly."
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Giannoulias office added that Real IDs are not mandatory for driving a vehicle, proving citizenship or showing identification and most places.
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Illinois Real ID Requirements
According to state data, as of Dec. 31, 2024, the office has issued 3,295,078 Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses and state IDs. This represents just 25.34% of all currently valid driver’s license and state IDs.
Experts fear there will be a last-minute rush this spring.
Even the Transportation Security Administration in September proposed delaying full enforcement of the deadline over concerns of a surge in people needing REAL ID's, which would then lead to a back-up from state facilities, as well as issues at security checkpoints. Whether or not that proposal will be approved remains uncertain.
Starting May 7, 2025, you will need a Real ID to board an airplane, even if you're not leaving the country. You may also need one if you want to visit a military base or visit a secure federal facility. However, you won't need a Real ID if you can show a passport or passport card.
The fee for a Real ID is $30 - the same as a regular driver's license in Illinois.
Illinois Real ID Appointments
Illinois residents can make an appointment online at ILSOS.gov. If you already have a driver's license or state-issued ID, go to the "DMV Appointments" section and click on the "Replace my Driver's License or ID Card" section. And then "Make an Appointment."
The website for Secretary of State's office notes that new appointments are made available daily at 6:30 a.m. so booking your appointment early can help.
What do you need to bring to get your Real ID?
As you make your appointment, you’ll also find a checklist of items you must bring to your appointment at the DMV. They include: original, hard copies of various documents including a birth certificate, valid US Passport or a permanent resident card. Other items you may need include: proof of your Social Security number and two documents that contain your address, such as a bank statement, credit card statement or homeowner's or renter's insurance policies. Images from cell phones and photocopies are not accepted.
The documents you can use to prove your address must have been issued within the past 90 days, and your passport or state ID cannot be expired.
