How to Get a Real ID in NJ: Emergency Appointments Open This Thursday

North Jersey reports an announcement made by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, stating that travelers with life-or-death emergencies and those who have urgent travel plans within 14 days can schedule a Real ID appointment starting on Thursday, April 24.

With the May 7 enforcement deadline for Real ID approaching, many are still struggling to make an appointment. In New Jersey, those who plan to travel need a Real ID if they use their license as a form of identification for air travel airports.

The MVC has a list of qualifications for a limited number of people who meet all of them to be allowed into the program. Those who have an acceptable form of identification to clear Transportation Security Administration checkpoints will not be permitted to make an appointment, according to North Jersey.

When applying for the Real ID emergency program, one requirement is that you confirm you do not have a passport (up to one year expired from travel date) or any other acceptable form of identification.

All appointments will take place at the MVC Regional Center in Trenton. The emergency program will not be found on the regular scheduling platform. On Thursday, the program portal will open.

An $80 shipping fee must be paid, which will then “be assessed to expedite the delivery of a REAL ID within a few business days”, according to the commission.

The necessary combination of documents, known as 2 + 1 + 6 = Real ID, must be brought to the emergency appointment. Required documents include two proofs of residential address, one verifiable Social Security number and documents that add up to six Real ID points.

Those who qualify for the emergency program if they need to travel domestically within 14 days from Thursday are:

• Those with a life-threatening illness or injury.

• Those who have an immediate family member who has died, is dying in hospice care or has a life-threatening illness or injury.

A parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling or grandparent would qualify as an immediate family member. According to the MVC, aunts, uncles, cousins or other relatives are not included.

Travelers must also submit documentation attesting to their personal situation and will need to bring those documents to their appointment.

The list of required documentation for a family emergency can include:

• Death certificate.

• Statement from a mortuary.

• Letter from a hospital. The letter must be on hospital letterhead, signed by a doctor and explaining the life-threatening medical condition. If not in English, the letter should be translated by a professional translator.

The travelers must also confirm how they are flying to another state within the next 14 days, which can include three items:

• Airline ticket.

• Travel itinerary with proof of payment.

• Invoice with travel dates and proof of payment.

If a traveler is applying for the emergency appointment under urgent travel, the same proof of travel is also required.

The issuing of Real ID began in September 2019. However, numerous delays from the COVID-19 pandemic onward pushed the deadline back until May 2025.

No one is required to get a Real ID, and a standard driver’s license or non-driver identification card can still be used to drive in New Jersey.