NJ Sets Up REAL ID Emergency Program for ‘Life-or-Death Reasons’

People traveling in the United States on domestic flights have to use a REAL ID, or another suitable form identification such as as a passport, starting May 7.

Passengers at O'Hare International Airport wait in line to be screened at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, in Chicago on May 16, 2016. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Officials in New Jersey have said they are setting up an “emergency issuance program“ for REAL IDs, ahead of a federal requirement that is scheduled to take effect next month.

The program will be only for qualified individuals who need to board a domestic flight within 14 days of a “life-or-death” situation or for urgent travel plans if they do not have a REAL ID or another form of identification, such as a U.S. passport, that can clear Transportation Security Checkpoints, officials said in a statement on April 22.

Starting May 7, all U.S. residents will need a REAL ID-compliant ID or license, or another acceptable type of identification, such as a passport, to board domestic flights. That requirement applies only to people aged 18 and older, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement earlier this month. Standard driver’s licenses or IDs will no longer be accepted by the TSA to board a domestic flight after that date, officials have said.

People who meet certain New Jersey state-approved criteria will be able to use the new emergency program, the state said, and they will be given a special appointment to get a REAL ID.

“Anticipating the recent increase in demand, which is being seen all over the country, we have made many additional accommodations to service as many customers with REAL ID as possible, including with this new emergency program,” acting New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-Floyd said in a statement on April 22.

“Our efforts will continue through the start of enforcement on May 7.”

Individuals requesting a REAL ID on an emergency basis must provide documentation demonstrating a need for urgent travel and the requirement for an emergency appointment, the state said. Despite that, officials warned that appointments for emergency REAL IDs will be limited, and the commission can’t guarantee it can accommodate everyone.

According to the Motor Vehicle Commission, people who have valid U.S. passports will be able to clear TSA checkpoints at airports. They will not qualify for an emergency service appointment, it added. They'll also have to pay an $80 shipping fee to expedite delivery of the REAL ID within several business days, but there is no fee for the appointment.

Federal officials have said that aside from air travel within the United States, REAL IDs will be mandated to access certain federal buildings and facilities, military bases, and nuclear sites.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 following a recommendation from the 9/11 Final Report of the National Commission after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, although the deadline has been pushed back multiple times. Licenses compliant with the REAL ID Act are marked with a star and require applicants to provide a Social Security number and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency.

Noncitizens illegally present in the United States who are voluntarily self-deporting on international flights will not be denied boarding under the REAL ID requirement, the TSA said earlier this month.

Older IDs will be allowed for driving, buying liquor or other age-regulated products, and gambling at casinos. Travelers can also use military IDs or passports to access flights and federal facilities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.