Senior Cashier/Examiner Leslie Quinn, left, and Cashier/Examiner Jessica King stand behind the counter at the Saranac Lake DMV on Wednesday. The two have been busy recently processing applications for REAL IDs, which will replace standard IDs as the required documentation to board a flight starting on May 7. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

SARANAC LAKE — The employees at the Saranac Lake DMV have been swamped the past few weeks as the federal implementation of REAL ID requirements for domestic flights approaches on May 7.

To make the long lines of people upgrading their IDs move faster, they’ve got advice to make the trip as short as possible.

Starting on May 7, a standard ID will not be accepted for flights within the United States. Plane passengers will need a REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification, like a passport or enhanced driver’s license. A full list of acceptable IDs can be found at tinyurl.com/3jzxvzby. REAL ID is not a separate ID card. It is an upgrade to a standard ID. REAL IDs have a star or flag on them while standard IDs do not and will say “NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES” instead.

With such a big change, the local DMV satellite office has been busy.

“The lines have been out the door,” Senior Cashier/Examiner Leslie Quinn said. “We’re tired. It’s been crazy.”

“This is all the licenses I had today,” Cashier/Examiner Jessica King said, holding up a two-inch-thick stack of paperwork and estimating there were more than 20 applications in there.

On most days they have four.

“This isn’t typical,” she said.

To speed things up, they recommended people fill out the application form ahead of time. The MV-44 form can be downloaded and printed at dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv44.pdf.

“Have all your paperwork filled out and bring all the correct documents,” Quinn said.

Many times, people have waited in the long line just to be told that they need to fill out a document and have to get back in line. This isn’t good news for anyone.

“I get it. It’s frustrating when you’re standing in that line all day,” King said. “There’s only two of us and we can only go so fast.”

The process requires two people to verify the documents, but there are only two of them in the office. Quinn asked customers to “be patient and understanding” when they come.

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What is REAL ID and what does it do?

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The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In an effort to make IDs more secure and harder to counterfeit, it sets federal standards for state-issued IDs to be valid. It has taken years for the government to roll it out after numerous delays.

REAL ID applies to people over the age of 18.

Enhanced IDs, which also include the ability to travel to Mexico or Canada by land or boat without the need for a passport, will also be acceptable for domestic flights.

King and Quinn suggest getting the enhanced ID. It costs $30 more than the REAL ID, but with the Tri-Lakes being so close to Canada, it also doubles as a border crossing document.

REAL IDs cost the same as renewing a standard ID. REAL IDs are also needed to enter certain federal buildings like courthouses, military bases or nuclear plants.

A guideline on REAL ID can be found at tinyurl.com/4bmhaxrr.

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What documents are needed?

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The REAL ID standards mean applicants need to thoroughly prove their identity, name, address and citizenship to be issued an ID.

Quinn and King emphasized that these need to be original documents — no photocopies.

To prove identity, supply a social security card, or a W-2, 1099, 1098 or pay stub with a full Social Security Number.

To prove New York state residency, provide two proofs — an ID card, a bank statement, a utility bill or a pay stub. Addresses must be on these documents — not a P.O. box.

To prove name and lawful status, provide a passport, a birth certificate or a naturalization certificate. Foreign-born applicants have a range of documentations to bring.

If an applicant has changed their name — due to marriage, divorce or some other process — they’ll need to bring all the documentation showing the history of their name changes.

For a full checklist of documents to bring, go to tinyurl.com/3kc5u5rm.

Applicants can get documents pre-screened at digital.dmv.ny.gov/login, but they’ll still need to be completed in the office.

Make sure you’ve showered because they’ll take a new photo.

The Saranac Lake DMV office inside the Harrietstown Town Hall is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Quinn and King travel from the Malone office on each of these days to run it.

They have a time cutoff for REAL ID applicants of 1 p.m. for REAL ID because they need to drive back to Malone after they close at 2 p.m.

The Lake Placid DMV has not been open since 2022, after only being open for one year. The only other DMVs in the area are nearly an hour away in Malone, Elizabethtown and Plattsburgh.

REAL IDs will be available after May 7, but if someone is planning to fly with their standard ID soon, they’ll need to get the REAL ID first.

DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder said it takes about two weeks to get a new ID after completing the paperwork.

“Failure to have a REAL ID-compliant document on or after May 7 could result in additional screening, delays at airports or being denied access to a flight,” according to the DMV.

The federal Transportation Security Administration adds that without proper identification, an officer may ask for other information to confirm the traveler’s identity, which could be denied or take a while.

Quinn and King estimate that they’ll probably be busy with REAL ID upgrades until at least June.