Illinois Secretary of State announces new REAL ID Supercenter in Loop, expanded weekend hours at DMVs across the state

CHICAGO — In an effort to meet a surge in demand for REAL IDs ahead of the May enforcement deadline, the Illinois Secretary has announced a new supercenter in Chicago as well as expanded hours at a handful of DMVs around the state.

Once the deadline arrives on May 7, a REAL ID-compliant ID will be needed to board domestic flights or to visit certain federal facilities.

Those who do not have a REAL ID by the May 7 deadline, may need to provide another form of identification, like a U.S. passport or military ID, to board a plane.

While residents across the state still have a while before the enforcement deadline for REAL ID, those looking to get their hands on one may face long lines and wait times at the DMV.

On Wednesday, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that his office would be opening a new REAL ID Supercenter in Downtown Chicago and would also be offering expanded weekend hours at several locations in order to ease some of the congestion prompted by the last-minute rush.

According to Giannoulias, the supercenter will be equipped with 30 individual service counters and will offer non-appointment and walk-in services.

The new supercenter, located in the 190 block of North Clark Street in the Loop, will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition to the new supercenter, Giannoulias also announced that several DMVs across the state would expand Saturday hours to accommodate REAL ID appointments.

The following ‘REAL ID Saturday’ DMV facilities will be open on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to offer non-appointment, walk-in services: Chicago West (5301 W. Lexington Ave.) Addison, Aurora, Des Plaines, Elgin, Joliet, Lake Zurich, Melrose Park, Plano, St. Charles, Waukegan and Woodstock.

The following six DMV locations will be open on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to offer appointment-only services: Chicago North (5401 N. Elston Ave.), Deerfield, Lombard, Naperville, Schaumburg and Springfield (Wabash Avenue).

The following nine DMV facilities will also temporarily offer appointment-only Saturday hours for REAL ID services: Bloomington, Champaign, Chicago South (9901 S. Martin Luther King Dr.), Granite City, Marion, Midlothian, Peoria, Rockford (Central) and Silvis.

“We’re monitoring REAL ID demand on an hour-to-hour basis and adjusting our service infrastructure to efficiently accommodate the unprecedented REAL ID demand caused by confusion surrounding the federal guidelines,” Giannoulias said. “Most Illinoisans do not need a REAL ID before May 7 and they can still get one after that date. Before visiting the supercenter or any of our DMVs, I urge you to confirm that you actually need a REAL ID by visiting realid.ilsos.gov.”

The new supercenter and expanded weekend hours are the latest effort by Giannoulias to address the surge in demand and help residents get their updated IDs.

Last month, Giannoulias said that he did not want people “freaking out” about what to do next as the deadline approaches, and offered some insight into who specifically may need a REAL ID.

Giannoulias also urged residents to double-check if they even need a REAL ID ahead of the enforcement deadline by introducing a new “Get a Real ID” portal on the Secretary of State website, which allows Illinoisans to determine if they need one.

The portal also helps people find walk-in locations and schedule appointments nearby.