The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) lists five mistakes people might make when applying for a REAL ID and offers tips on how to avoid them.
These errors can cause a customer’s application for a REAL ID to be delayed or denied, requiring multiple trips to the DMV. The DMV urged New Yorkers Tuesday to apply for a REAL ID or enhanced ID now because a year from now, on May 3, 2023, the federal government will require a REAL ID or other federally accepted document as an enhanced ID or a passport to board a flight within the United States.
Customers applying for a REAL ID or enhanced document should follow the tips below to avoid a second trip to the DMV.
The top five mistakes when applying for a REAL ID are:
- Failure to provide proof of middle name or name change:
If a middle name appears on some but not all of a client’s documents, you must bring a government-issued document such as a social security card, birth certificate, or US passport to provide proof of your full legal name .
Additionally, if a client’s first or last name has changed due to marriage, divorce, or a court-ordered name change, you must provide documentation showing the name change. For example, if a client’s maiden name appears on her birth certificate but her married name appears on her social security card, then you must provide an original government-issued marriage certificate showing why change. If a client’s name has changed multiple times, you must provide proof of each change to show the connection.
2. Bring photocopies instead of original documents:
As part of the federal requirements to obtain a REAL ID, customers must visit a DMV office to have a new photograph taken and present original documents that prove their full legal name, New York State residency, and Social Security number, among others. other things.
Customers must bring original documents to DMV, such as their original birth certificate, social security card, or government-issued marriage certificate.
3. Failing to consult the online document guide before visiting the DMV:
The DMV document guide, which can be found at dmv.ny.gov/documentguide, will show customers exactly what documents to bring for their visit, such as a utility bill, US passport, and more. The document guide also allows customers to print the list of documents they need.
Obsolete or expired documents will not be accepted.
4. Use of nicknames:
Nicknames, short names, or confirmation names are commonly used by many DMV customers when applying for a New York State-issued license or identification card. Federal requirements do not allow the DMV to issue REAL IDs to customers under any name other than their full legal name. If a nickname, short name, or confirmation name appears on any of the client’s proof documents, you must show additional proof of your full legal name or proof of a court-ordered name change.
5. Failure to provide proper proof of residency:
Customers applying for a REAL ID must provide two proofs of New York State residency. A New York State non-driver’s license, permit, or identification card, a recent bank statement, or a recent pay stub showing the customer’s current New York State address are among acceptable proofs of residency. Documents that include a PO Box will not be accepted. DMV will accept certain electronic documents, such as utility bills, credit card statements, or pay stubs, if they are printed.
Additionally, some documents issued after a certain date will not be accepted. For example, a bank statement or utility bill provided as proof of residence must have been issued within 120 days of the customer’s visit to the DMV.
Clients must use the DMV document guide to confirm what documents to bring.
REAL ID information in New York here.
REAL ID information in New Jersey here.
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