Select SoCal AAA locations to offer Real ID services, DMV says

A sample of a California Real ID is seen in a photo from the DMV’s website.

Posted: Jul 13, 2021 / 04:18 PM PDT

Updated: Jul 15, 2021 / 09:14 AM PDT

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Getting a Real ID is about to become easier for some California residents.

That’s because the Automobile Club of Southern California is about to begin offering them at select locations starting later this month, the Department of Motor Vehicles announced Tuesday.

By the end of July, AAA members will be able to schedule an appointment at one of 19 Auto Club locations scattered throughout the region to obtain a Real ID driver’s license under a new pilot program.

“The DMV continues to streamline its processes and incorporate technology to become more mobile and better serve its customers through more convenient service options,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said at a news conference today at AAA’s Los Angeles location on Figueroa Street, according to a news release from the California agency. “We hope our partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California will prompt its members to get their REAL ID now and not wait until the last minute.”

The deadline to get the federally approved document that will allow Americans to board a flight in the U.S. or access federal facilities is now May 3, 2023, which is more than 2 1/2 years after the identification requirement was set take effect initially. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the deadline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To get the Real ID card through the Auto Club, members will have to fill out the application and upload documents at REALID.dmv.ca.gov, according to the release. They will have to schedule an appointment at a participating AAA location and pay the usual driver’s license or identification card fee.

At the appointment, members will have to show the required documents and confirmation code to the Auto Club office’s DMV representative. That person will then use a mobile tablet to get the person’s fingerprint, photograph and electronic signature, which are all needed for the application.

The program is expected to last through the end of this year.

Members can visit the following Auto Club locations to acquire their Real ID: