Shapiro Administration Expands Access to REAL ID with Special REAL ID Days at Over 50 Driver License Centers on April 7

PennDOT also offers certain driver license and vehicle transactions online as a convenient way for customers to obtain services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Harrisburg, PA – With only a few months left until the May 7 federal REAL ID enforcement begins, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is holding REAL ID Days events at 57 driver license centers on Monday, April 7. The events have been popular with residents, with over 7,600 people being assisted at previous REAL ID Days events.

These events reinforce the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to improving customer service, expanding access to REAL ID services, and helping Pennsylvanians prepare ahead of the deadline.

“PennDOT is committed to making it as convenient as possible for Pennsylvanians to obtain a REAL ID if they want one,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton. “Because we’re seeing an increase in demand, we decided to offer our REAL ID Days as a way to ensure we are meeting the needs of the public and providing them with the best possible customer service.”

The April 7 REAL ID Days will be held from 8:30 AM – 4:15 PM at 57 locations. For a complete list of centers that will be open, visit PennDOT’s website.

While getting a REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania, more than 2.5 million Pennsylvanians have chosen to get one. Beginning May 7, 2025, a REAL ID or another form of federally acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) will be required to:

Board domestic commercial flights.
Enter a military base.
Enter certain federal facilities that require a federally acceptable form of ID.

A valid passport will still be required for international travel.

REAL ID Days are held on Mondays when the centers are typically closed. During these events, centers will be exclusively processing REAL IDs to help Pennsylvanians obtain a REAL ID before the enforcement deadline. The centers will still be open during their normal hours and people can also get a REAL ID or conduct other driver license business during that time. For a complete list of REAL ID Days events, visit PennDOT’s website.

Although a REAL ID or other TSA-acceptable form of ID will be needed to fly domestically beginning May 7, Pennsylvanians can apply for a REAL ID at any time – before, on or after enforcement begins. REAL ID products are a permanent part of PennDOT’s services. If you're not sure whether a REAL ID is right for you, our REAL ID online wizard may be able to help.

Customers can visit driver license centers for numerous transactions other than REAL ID, and while some services do require an in-person visit, many online services are available through PennDOT’s website, www.pa.gov/dmv. Some common transactions customers can complete online include change of address for non-commercial license and ID card holders, renewal and duplicates of non-commercial driver licenses and ID cards, paying a driver license restoration fee, and obtaining driver history records and restoration requirement letters. For a complete list of services offered online, visit PennDOT’s website. There are no additional fees for using online services.

Federal REAL ID regulations require that PennDOT must verify the below documents in order to issue a REAL ID:

Proof of Identity: examples include an original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics with a raised/embossed seal, or a valid, unexpired U.S. Passport.
Proof of Social Security Number (proof must display currently legal name and full nine digits of the Social Security Number): examples include a Social Security card, a W-2 form, a SSA-1099 form, a non-SSA-1099 form, or a pay stub.
Two Proofs of Current, Physical PA Address: examples include a current, unexpired PA driver's license or identification card, vehicle registration, or a utility bill with the same name and address.
Proof of all Legal Name Changes (if current legal name is different than what is reflected on proof of identity document): examples include certified marriage certificate(s) issued by the County Court for each marriage, court order(s) approving a change in legal name, or adoption decree issued by your county's family court.
- Note: If current name is the same as what is reflected on the proof of identity document (usually birth certificate or passport), proof of legal name change does not need to be shown.

More information about REAL ID document requirements can be found on PennDOT’s REAL ID website.

When a customer gets their first REAL ID, they will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus the applicable renewal fee (the current renewal fee is $39.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver's license and $42.50 for a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won't lose time that they've already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee beyond regular renewal fees to renew a REAL ID product.

After customers present the proper documentation and pay the applicable fee, they may obtain a REAL ID-compliant product by:

Receiving the product in the mail within 15 days if application was made at a Driver License Center.
Receiving the product over the counter, if application was made at one of PennDOT’s 15 REAL ID compliant Driver License Centers.

Customers who received their first Pennsylvania driver's license, learner's permit, or photo ID card after September 1, 2003, may already have their REAL ID documentation on file with PennDOT. These customers can apply for REAL ID pre-verification and order their REAL ID online.

For a full list of driver license centers, REAL ID Centers, and services offered, please visit the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website and click on Find a Location.

For more information on REAL ID, visit PennDOT’s REAL ID website.

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