Mark Jones visited the Real ID Supercenter in downtown Chicago early Saturday only to find it closed, leaving him frustrated, out nearly $50 for parking, and without the updated identification he’d been trying to secure for weeks.
“I got up at a quarter to 6 a.m. and came all the way downtown, only to find out the place was closed,” said Jones, 29, of Bellwood, who works for American Airlines.
“There was a line full of people, some with their children, only to find out the location was not open.”
The Real ID Supercenter at 191 N. Clark St., opened in March due to high demand ahead of a May 7 federal deadline that will see the new ID required to board a plane.
It is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but according to Jones, a phone representative told him the downtown facility would be open for Saturday walk-ins.
The state has expanded DMV hours on Saturdays at 18 locations and opened the downtown supercenter to help with the surge of applicants, but there’s been confusion over requirements and where to go.
The state has added 2,500 daily appointments at DMV locations and launched an interactive online portal to help residents determine whether they urgently need a REAL ID and what documents to bring.
“We’ve introduced a number of solutions to address the unprecedented demand,” said Scott Burnham, a spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office.
“Despite our efforts to encourage residents across the state to obtain their REAL IDs early, we’ve seen a surge in traffic at our facilities over the past few months.”
Burnham also noted the launch of the Supercenter, which he said processes approximately 1,500 Real IDs each day and is open Monday through Friday.
“We strongly encourage everyone to check our website before heading to a facility,” Burnham said.
“All facility hours and appointment requirements are listed there.”
He added: “We always tell people: ‘Know before you go.’ That means checking whether your facility accepts walk-ins or requires an appointment and using our interactive checklist to ensure you have the correct documents.”
After discovering the Clark Street location was closed, Jones drove to the DMV on 99th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, where he was told walk-ins wouldn’t begin until 12:30 p.m.
Jones then went to the Chicago West location on Lexington Street, where about 100 people were in line Saturday morning.
His driver’s license expires just before his 30th birthday in the coming week, and he said his work badge can’t be renewed without a valid ID.
“I had to take off work just to stand in these lines,” said Jones, who, by 1 p.m., confirmed he’d gotten his Real ID.
The Chicago West site is one of 18 centers where hours have been extended to help meet demand.
In March, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched the downtown supercenter to process the applications from thousands of people seeking the identification.
The secretary of state is advising people that Real IDs will still be issued after May 7 and urging those who don’t need it immediately to wait.
Real IDs aren’t required to drive.
Standard state driver’s licenses and ID cards will continue serving as proof of citizenship and valid identification after May 7.
After that, to board a plane, you’ll have to present a Real ID or another approved ID, like a passport.
“It’s crazy,” Kia Calhoun, 46, of Humboldt Park, said as she waited at the Chicago West center.
“It’s hard for a lot of us hardworking people who work Monday through Friday who can’t get out here and have to get here on this one single day.”
Tiffany Hunter, 42, a police officer who lives in Rosemoor, was back in line for the second time.
She said the first time she tried, she was told she needed additional documentation, including her birth certificate and Social Security card.
“Two things they could probably do better are improving timeliness with appointments and being very clear on what documents they do and do not accept so people don’t have to come to the walk-ins,” she said.
The secretary of state has a Real ID checklist online that includes which documents need to be hard copies.
Tony Reynolds, 63, drove in from Moline and took the day off work hoping to handle both his Real ID and his driver’s license reinstatement but was told Saturday’s services were for Real ID only.
“What you do at one facility, you should be able to do at all of them,” said Reynolds, who works as a warehouse coordinator.
Though he successfully got his Real ID, he’s still waiting on his license reinstatement.
“They should have people at each facility who can provide that service so you don’t have to go all over the place.
image source from：https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2025/04/12/real-id-illinois-secretary-of-state-dmv
