Still don’t have a REAL ID? New Jersey has an emergency program for life-or-death situations, and more things to know

With the May 7 REAL ID deadline fast approaching, New Jersey has begun to offer “life-and-death” emergency expedited appointments for specific travel situations. Your bachelor party weekend trip will not qualify.

Instead, the appointments are reserved for people without valid passports who are flying within 14 days and have a life-threatening illness or injury, or who have an immediate family member who has such an affliction or has died.

Otherwise, your wait for a REAL ID could be long. New Jersey had already added thousands of REAL ID appointments to meet growing demand before implementing the emergency option. And in Pennsylvania, lines at driver’s license centers are long, even after holding special days for REAL ID service.

“We’re seeing huge increases in volume at our driver’s license centers,” Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said at a news conference Wednesday. PennDot is issuing “tens of thousands” of REAL IDs per week, he said.

“If you don’t have immediate travel plans or you already have a valid passport, maybe hold off for a few months until the rush dies down,” Carroll said.

But if you’re still in need of a REAL ID, here’s what you need to know:

Beginning May 7, anyone flying domestically will need to show a REAL ID or passport to board a plane. You may also need a REAL ID to enter certain federal buildings, like a courthouse or military installation.

You do not need a REAL ID to vote or to drive.

Though the switch to REAL IDs has been discussed and tabled for several years, its history goes back even farther. The REAL ID Act was signed into law in 2005, after the 9 / 11 Commission concluded for security reasons it was too easy to acquire driver’s licenses.

To acquire a REAL ID in Pennsylvania, you must visit a PennDot driver’s license center with documents proving your identity and residency. The list of accepted documents can be found on PennDot’s website at pa.gov. If PennDot has already verified your documents, you may order a REAL ID online.

In Pennsylvania, it can take up to 15 business days to receive a REAL ID in the mail after visiting a driver’s license center. However, some locations offer same-day processing. Philadelphia-area locations with same-day processing include:

Some PennDot driver’s license centers will continue to offer special REAL ID Days on Mondays leading up to the REAL ID deadline, and on Monday, May 12. The list of participating locations is available on the PennDot website.

Acquiring a REAL ID is not mandatory, and you can still get a REAL ID after the May 7 deadline has passed. You’ll just need to use a passport or other TSA-approved document to fly.

Just don’t forget it, or you’ll be left grounded.