RI DMV Offering Special Saturday Hours For REAL ID

CRANSTON, RI — With the requirement for REAL IDs going into effect across the country in just a few months, the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles is making it easier for Rhode Islanders to sign up. On Thursday, the department announced that it will be opening two Saturdays per month, starting this weekend.

The pilot program will only last a few weeks, and will only be held at the Cranston offices from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Walk-ins will not be accepted, and reservations can be made online.

According to Paul Grimaldi, a spokesperson for the DMV, about 150,000 Rhode Islanders have enrolled in the program so far, and the state expects about 400,000 to sign up in total within the next year. The department encourages residents to upgrade to a REAL ID when their license expires. The renewal period for driver's licenses and state IDs begins 60 days before the expiration date.

Because REAL ID applications take a few minutes longer than the average DMV transaction, lines and wait times have been affected in recent months, Grimaldi added.

READ MORE: REAL ID In Rhode Island: 8 Questions Answered

The REAL ID program goes into effect across the country on Oct. 1. Created in 2005, the federal mandate established a nationwide standard for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. After the deadline, ID cards that do not meet the REAL ID standard will not be accepted at TSA checkpoints in airports.