You’ve read the headlines about getting a REAL ID before the May 7 deadline. You’ve done your due diligence and made an appointment. 

Now what? What even is a REAL ID? It will be needed in more places than just the airport. How much does it cost?

Well, before you go to your appointment, you need to make sure you bring the right documentation.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle commissioner requires a unique combination of documents, which follows a process called 2 + 1 + 6 = REAL ID. 

That means you must have:

• Identity documents that add up to six points
• Two documents to prove your address
• One valid social security number

Bear in mind that most transactions at the MVC require a physical document, and not just a copy on your smartphone. 

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What’s included in REAL ID 6 points?

This is the spot where you’ll need to verify your identity with primary documents that add up to six points, such as:

• A U.S passport or birth certificate (4 points each)
• A certificate of naturalization (4 points) 
• Your current permanent resident card (3 points)
• A U.S school or college photo ID with a transcript (2 points)
• A legal name change court order, civil marriage certificate or divorce decree (2 points each)
• Additional documents also count, like a current U.S military ID or New Jersey firearms purchaser card

What’s included in REAL ID 2?

The “2” of the REAL ID formula is where you prove your address. You need to provide two out of the following:

• A valid NJ driver’s license or MVC-issued driver license renewal form displaying your residential address
• A utility bill or credit card bill from within the past 90 days 
• A bank or credit union statement issued within the past 60 days 
• An original, unexpired lease or rental agreement
• Any tax-related documents or government correspondence received within the past year 
• First-class mail from a government agency within the past six months 

What’s included in REAL ID 1?

The “1” in the REAL ID process is where you need to prove your social security number. You’ll have to show one of the following: 

• A Social Security card 
• A pay stub with the full Social Security number
• A W-2 or 1099 form issued within the past year
• You can also enter your Social Security number in the application and the MVC will electronically verify it 

What is REAL ID and where will I need it?

The REAL ID is a federal requirement for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards. It’s meant to issue minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. 

It’s part of a post-9/11 bill passed by Congress in 2005, according to the U.S Department of Homeland Security. 

The requirement was originally set to go into effect in 2020, but was pushed back five years amid backlogs induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Starting May 7 this year, a REAL ID will be required for domestic flying and to get into any federal buildings. 

Your current ID might read “Not For Real ID purposes,” and that means that, even if unexpired, the ID would not be compliant with the federal requirement. 

But you could also present another REAL ID-compliant document to TSA security at the airport, like a passport. 

It can take about two weeks, or 15 business days, to process the request at your local MVC. 

All Real IDs will feature a stamp on the right-hand corner to show that it is federally compliant. The symbol stamped on your Real ID card will vary, depending on the state it was issued in.

What happens at your REAL ID appointment?

At the appointment, the documents you provide are scanned and stored by the MVC, as per federal requirements. State officials stressed that the documents are securely stored.

A REAL ID has to be obtained via an in-person appointment, but renewals can be done online.

The ID costs $35, while a standard New Jersey license or ID costs $24.

Staff Writer Manahil Ahmah contributed this article, which contains information from USA Today

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 

Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook

South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem will be the nation’s next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after the U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination Saturday.

The 53-year-old Noem, a former congresswoman, will lead one of the federal government’s largest departments, with 260,000 employees and a budget in excess of $100 billion. Its responsibilities include border protection, disaster response, cyber and airline security, and protecting dignitaries.

The bipartisan vote to confirm Noem was 59-34, with her fellow South Dakota Republicans, Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Mike Rounds, casting two of the votes in favor.

Speaking against Noem’s confirmation on the Senate floor, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, warned that the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants Noem could carry out on behalf of President Donald Trump will harm the nation’s economy. Among the industries most affected, Durbin said, could be one of vital importance to Noem’s home state: agriculture.

“In many instances, they will be removing the very workers that pick the crop,” Durbin said.

Speaking in favor of Noem, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said the United States is a nation of immigrants, but “we’re also a nation based on the rule of law, and we have not seen that immigration law enforced over the last four years.”

“So I’m going to be voting for Governor Noem, because she’s committed to enforcing our immigration laws,” Grassley said.

SD’s lieutenant governor elevated

Noem ascends to the Homeland Security post after serving as South Dakota’s first female governor. She was serving her second four-year term after being reelected in 2022.

Noem will resign from that job and be succeeded by her lieutenant governor, Republican Larry Rhoden, who will become the state’s 34th chief executive and fill the remainder of Noem’s term through 2026. Rhoden will choose a new lieutenant governor, subject to confirmation by the South Dakota Legislature, which is in the midst of its annual lawmaking session.

Noem’s Saturday confirmation vote capped a rise into national prominence that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her decision as governor to avoid ordering widespread shutdowns in South Dakota caught Trump’s attention during his first term, and he accepted Noem’s invitation to a Fourth of July weekend fireworks display at Mount Rushmore in 2020. That helped cement a relationship Noem had begun with Trump while she served as a four-term member of the U.S. House from 2011 to 2019.

Noem was widely thought to be in consideration for Trump’s running mate last year, until her April book release abruptly ended that speculation.

The Guardian obtained an advance copy of the book, “No Going Back,” and revealed passages Noem wrote about fatally shooting a misbehaving hunting dog and an unruly goat. The Dakota Scout, a South Dakota media outlet, challenged Noem’s claim in the book that she had met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and she retracted it.

Noem faced withering scrutiny during a national book tour and became the butt of jokes on late-night television. Yet, less than three months later, she had a prime speaking slot during the Republican National Convention. Shortly after Trump’s election win in November, he announced Noem as his pick to lead Homeland Security.

Noem’s role in border issues

While serving as governor, Noem sent National Guard troops multiple times to assist Texas in securing its border with Mexico, and called a joint session of the Legislature to deliver a speech about the border. In her new role as Homeland Security secretary, Noem will be pivotal in carrying out Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Noem appeared before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs last week for her confirmation hearing. She said “border security must remain a top priority.”

“As a nation, we have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm, and we must create a fair and a lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective and that reflects our values,” Noem said.

Trump kick-started his immigration plan shortly after he took office Monday.

In part of a barrage of executive orders this week, Trump moved to end birthright citizenship in the United States. But on Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the plan, which was met with a flurry of legal challenges.

Trump also declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, and earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would immediately send 1,500 active duty troops to secure the area.

Noem is the fourth of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to earn Senate confirmation, after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

States Newsroom’s D.C. Bureau contributed to this report.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: [email protected].

Best Places to Work organization just revealed which companies across the world have earned the title ‘Best Places to Work in the USA’ for the year 2024.

The international certification program that identifies workplaces worldwide says these are the companies whose workplace excellence, innovation, and employee satisfaction have set a high benchmark.

According to the report, the 2024 honorees represent a diverse range of industries, unified by their dedication to fostering outstanding workplace cultures.

And this honoree from Central Jersey hit all the marks for industry standards that landed them in the sixth spot on the list. Here’s why.

Financial services firm U.S. Retirement & Benefit Partners, headquartered in Iselin, made the list for its specialized expertise in employee benefits and employer-sponsored retirement plans, fostering financial well-being for K-12 public schools, government agencies, and private businesses.

“These outstanding organizations exemplify the highest standards of workplace excellence, fostering environments where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive,” Best Places to Work wrote.

More: 5 companies headquarted in NJ among top 10 most trusworthy in US, says Newsweek

Best Places to Work in the USA 2024

• Fifth Avenue Financial
•  NTT Data
• Green Buzz Agency
• Omnilife
• Christ Church USA
• U.S. Retirement & Benefit Partners