New Jersey
Does the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission have the capacity to handle Real ID demand?
3-minute read
Starting May 2025, your driver’s license won’t be enough for air travel
This week, after years of delays, the Transportation Security Administration announced that federal agencies will begin enforcement of REAL ID requirements on May 7, 2025.
Fox – 5 DC
With the federal Real ID program launching in less than two months, New Jersey residents looking to upgrade their licenses may be running into some problems.
Despite launching a “Real ID Thursday” initiative to make more appointments available, the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission currently has no appointments available for residents in any county north of Monmouth County before Real ID takes effect on May 7.
That includes appointments at physical agency locations as well as MVC’s mobile unit.
The only appointments for any kind of upgrade available at agency locations as of Thursday — about 50 slots — were at the mobile unit site in Lawrenceville or at locations in the southern half of the state — for those who have licenses expiring within the next three months and are trying to upgrade.
Agency spokesperson Bill Connolly said the “demand for Real ID now is extraordinarily high ahead of the start of federal enforcement in May.”
“The MVC has repeatedly added and reallocated appointments to better meet that demand over the past several months,” he said, noting that “Real ID Thursdays” added more than 43,000 appointments and more mobile unit appointments will be available as the agency coordinates with local hosts. The opportunity to book these additional appointments started last week.
Connolly also said about 3,000 new appointments for Real ID upgrades are added each business day at 7 a.m. and that “appointments are regularly added as customers cancel or modify their appointments.”
“While the MVC is processing record numbers of in-person transactions, especially Real IDs, we will continue to evaluate our operations and look to offer additional opportunities for our customers to get a Real ID,” he said.
The next appointment at each of the 28 licensing centers for those looking to upgrade and have a license or identification card expiring in the next three months as of Wednesday evening were:
- Lawrenceville: May 13, 2:20 p.m.
- Bayonne: May 14, 2:20 p.m.
- Camden: April 16, 11:20 a.m.
- Egg Harbor Township: April 30, 11:40 a.m.
- Delanco: April 22, 9:40 a.m.
- Eatontown: May 6, 12:40 p.m.
- Edison: May 7, 1:40 p.m.
- Elizabeth: May 20, 8 a.m.
- Flemington: April 28, 8:40 a.m.
- Freehold: May 2, 11:20 a.m.
- Lodi: May 28, 10:40 a.m.
- Manahawkin: April 28, 11 a.m.
- Newark: May 30, Noon
- Newton: May 13, 10:20 a.m.
- North Bergen: May 20, 12:40 p.m.
- Oakland: May 27, 11:20 a.m.
- Paterson: May 7, 12:20 p.m.
- Rahway: May 7, 10:40 a.m.
- Randolph: May 14, 2 p.m.
- North Cape May: April 8, 2:40 p.m.
- Runnemede: May 2, 1 p.m.
- Salem: April 9, 8:40 a.m.
- South Plainfield: May 5, 10:20 a.m.
- Toms River: April 29, 12:20 p.m.
- Vineland: April 9, 8:20 a.m.
- Washington: April 30, 1 p.m.
- Wayne : May 19, 11:20 p.m.
- West Deptford: April 15, 1:40 p.m.
Real ID: What to know
According to the TSA, as of January 2024, only about 56% of the licenses and government issued identification cards in use around the country comply with Real ID. In 34 states that number is less than 60% and in 22 states is less than 40%.
In order to get a Real ID, residents should check REALID.nj.gov to make sure they bring all the required documents — two proofs of residential address, one verifiable Social Security number and identity documents that add up to six Real ID Points — to their appointment.
The state started issuing the Real ID in September 2019. The deadline was initially October 2020 but was pushed back to October 2021 due to the pandemic. The federal government opted to push it back again to May 2023, as new COVID-19 variants continued to wreak havoc on motor vehicle agencies throughout the country. In 2022, officials delayed it a third time, to May 2025.
After the deadline, standard driver’s licenses or non-driver identification cards can no longer be used to fly within the U.S. A passport is also a valid form of identification for domestic travel.
No one is required to get Real ID. A standard driver’s license or non-driver identification card can still be used to drive in New Jersey, but it will no longer be a valid form of federal identification. Passports can be used as identification when flying domestically.
The REAL ID Act, which was enacted following the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation, established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards for the purpose of boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft, accessing certain federal facilities and entering nuclear power plants.
Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com
New Jersey
Yellowcard Brings Ocean Avenue to New Jersey’s Own Ocean Avenue
Yellowcard played the Stone Pony Summer Stage on Friday June 12th. It was an astounding set. The band performed nineteen tracks from every era and iteration of the band. It was a special night for anyone who is a fan.
Openers Plain White T’s and New Found Glory also deserve special credit for fitting the bill flawlessly. It was the perfect way to set the stage for the show to come. Both bands have a strong stage presence and were able to captures the crowd’s full attention.
Yellowcard opened with a video of the Paramount stars. They continued their set by playing interlude snippets of other major movies such as “Back To The Future,” “Top Gun,” “The Goonies,” and the “Ghostbusters.” It really felt like we were watching a cinematic experience as well as a concert. The production was second to none. There was even pyro during certain moments of the show.
The band played six tracks off their new album Better Days. This was a huge highlight of the show. Better Days is not only the best Yellowcard album since Ocean Avenue, it’s one of the best pop-punk releases of the decade. The band worked tightly with Travis Barker, Avril Lavigne, and Alkaline Trio to enhance all aspects of the genre. The new tracks warranted even more of a reception than older tracks. We were truly watching a band in their prime.
Overall, Yellowcard are showing us the new heights bands can reach within the pop-punk genre. Their breakup and triumphant return displays to us that anything is possible. Please enjoy our gallery below from photographer Anthony Vito Cosentino.
Plain White T’s
New Found Glory
Yellowcard
All Photos by Anthony Vito Cosentino
New Jersey
Historical marker recognizing Lawnside, New Jersey, to be unveiled Friday
From Camden and Cherry Hill to Trenton and the Jersey Shore, what about life in New Jersey do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know.
The borough of Lawnside in Camden County will be honored with a historical marker from the New Jersey Historical Commission as part of the state’s Black Heritage Trail.
A ceremony unveiling the marker will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at Lawnside Borough Hall on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Road.
Marsharee Wright, aide to Lawnside Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow and long-time resident, said everyone is thrilled about the marker unveiling.
“We’ve invited the entire community and neighboring towns to come share the celebration with us,” Wright said.
Linda Shockley, president of the Lawnside Historical Society, said it’s “an extreme honor” for the borough to be included in the state’s program, especially as Lawnside is amid a year-long celebration of its centennial.
“It really lifts our profile and hopefully more people will understand and know what Lawnside is about and what it means in the nation,” Shockley said.
Lawnside was one of six sites selected in Camden County in 2024, including “The Point,” a historic Black neighborhood in Haddonfield. Its marker was unveiled last June.
During the ceremony, the borough’s history will be showcased, along with the original documents signed by Gov. A. Harry Moore in 1926, which made way for the borough’s creation.
Though there are many Black enclaves in South Jersey, the borough is the state’s only incorporated antebellum Black community. First known as Free Haven, and later Snow Hill, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Peter Mott built a three-floor dwelling in 1844 that was once part of sprawling farmland where he helped slaves escape.
Mott’s house, now owned by the Lawnside Historical Society, serves as an Underground Railroad museum.
New Jersey
Is ICE giving up on Roxbury detention center? NJ leaders laud report
See the Roxbury warehouse scouted by ICE as possible deportation site
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were in Roxbury recently apparently scouting a Rt. 46 warehouse as a possible migrant deportation facility.
Federal officials are considering abandoning plans for a controversial immigration detention facility in Roxbury, New Jersey, according to a June 18 report by The New York Times, prompting local leaders and state officials to declare a victory after months of legal and political opposition.
The proposed facility, a warehouse property purchased to serve as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, faced intense criticism from local residents, environmental advocates and elected officials who argued the site was unsuitable for housing detainees.
In a joint statement issued Thursday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the Department of Homeland Security appeared to be backing away from the project following legal challenges that halted development.
“Today the New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is backing down on its mass detention center in Roxbury,” the statement said. “That is a big win for public safety, for the township of Roxbury, and for New Jersey.”
According to the Times report, the Roxbury facility is one of seven ICE is planning to dispense with by transferring ownership to other federal agencies or selling them.
Opponents argued the warehouse was designed as a logistics facility and lacked the infrastructure necessary to support a large detention center. They also raised concerns about the potential strain on local water and sewage systems and the impact on environmentally sensitive land surrounding the site.
State officials said they joined Roxbury Township in court to challenge the project, contending that federal plans violated local regulations and posed risks to the community.
“DHS’s plans were always illegal,” the statement said. “The Roxbury warehouse is a logistics center fit for packages, not thousands of people.”
Rep. Rob Menendez said in a statement on Thursday: “We are working to confirm reporting that ICE is abandoning its Roxbury warehouse plans, but if true, this would be big news. From day one, we have fought to stop this facility, bringing together thousands of New Jerseyans in opposition. Now we are on the cusp of an important win for our state.”
The detention center was expected to become part of the federal government’s broader immigration enforcement and detention network. However, the project became a flashpoint in New Jersey, drawing opposition from both local officials and residents concerned about public safety, environmental impacts and the facility’s compatibility with surrounding land uses.
Federal officials have not publicly confirmed whether the property will be sold or formally removed from consideration. The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the reported change in plans.
Opponents vowed to continue monitoring the situation until the project is officially terminated.
“This isn’t a partisan issue,” the statement said. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the Roxbury community as we keep DHS’s feet to the fire to ensure this facility is never opened.”
-
Nebraska3 minutes agoUnderground Railroad site reopens after 7-year closure in Nebraska City
-
Nevada10 minutes agoCaltech readies to build world’s most sensitive radio telescope in Nevada
-
New Hampshire13 minutes agoTransgender former New Hampshire state representative sentenced to 33 years for child sex abuse: report
-
New Jersey18 minutes agoYellowcard Brings Ocean Avenue to New Jersey’s Own Ocean Avenue
-
New Mexico25 minutes agoEdgewood and Santa Fe County finalize agreement to keep emergency services going
-
North Carolina28 minutes ago‘Infuriating, heartbreaking’: Raccoon recovering after getting caught in leg trap at Mecklenburg County park
-
North Dakota33 minutes agoOne year later, tornado survivors rebuild and remember
-
Ohio40 minutes ago
Lorain woman killed, three children injured in Ohio Turnpike crash in Elyria (UPDATED)