Get a REAL ID in New Jersey

Get a New Jersey REAL ID: book an appointment at an MVC Licensing Center and bring 2 proofs of address, 1 proof of Social Security number and 6 points of ID. The card is mailed to you.

Your situation

Do you need to fly within the next 30 days and have no passport or other ID the TSA accepts?

The MVC then offers a limited number of emergency appointments in Trenton, with an extra fee.

NoYes, I'm traveling within 30 days

Is your current name different from the name on your identity documents?

No, it's the sameYes

Update my plan

Your plan

1. Gather your documents

   • Two proofs of New Jersey residential address · 2 different documents
     Electronic or paper documents, per the MVC checklist. Financial information can be blacked out. A NJ license and a NJ vehicle registration cannot be used together.
     Accepted documents (bring 2)

     • Valid NJ driver license or non-driver ID, or an MVC license renewal form (showing your residential address)
     • Utility or credit card bill (issued within the past year)
     • Bank or credit union checking or savings statement (issued within the past year)
     • Unexpired lease or residential rental agreement
     • USPS Change of Address form
     • Tax bill, statement or receipt, or a letter from the IRS or a tax office (within the past year)
     • First class mail from any government agency (within the past year)
     • Pay stub (issued within six months)
     • W-2 (issued within the past year)
     • Mortgage, investment or financial institution statement (issued within the past year)
     • Unexpired insurance policy (auto, dental, family care, health, home, life or residential rental)
     • Home/rent/car insurance bill (issued within the past year)
     • Deed or title to real property
     • Valid NJ vehicle registration or MVC registration renewal form (showing your residential address)
     • DD214 (issued within the past year)
     • Doctor or hospital bill (issued within the past year)
     • EZ Pass bill or statement (issued within the past year)
     • Health or dental letter or statement from your provider (EOB) (issued within the past year)
     • Residential rental bill statement (issued within the past year)
     • School report card, record or transcript (issued within two years)
     • If under 18: parent or guardian statement (form MR-24)
   • Your full Social Security number
     Entering your number on the application counts: the MVC verifies it electronically with the SSA. If that verification fails, bring one of these documents showing your full name and full number.
     Accepted documents (bring 1)

     • Your SSN entered on the application (verified electronically)
     • Social Security card
     • W-2 (issued within the past year)
     • Pay stub with your name and full SSN
     • 1099 form (issued within the past year)
   • One primary identity document
     Choose only one. Each is worth 4 points, except the INS-issued green card without an expiration date (2 points). Paper originals or certified copies in English with the required seals; electronic copies are not accepted.
     Accepted documents (bring 1)

     • Unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
     • U.S. or U.S. territory birth certificate (certified copy filed with a state vital statistics office)
     • U.S. Department of State birth certificate (FS-545 or DS-1350)
     • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)
     • Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-578 or N-570)
     • Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
     • Current Permanent Resident Card (I-551) with an expiration date
     • Unexpired foreign passport with a valid visa and I-94
     • Current photo employment authorization card (I-688B or I-766)
     • Permanent Resident Card (I-551) issued by INS without an expiration date (2 points)
   • Secondary documents to reach 6 points
     Add documents until primary + secondary total 6 points. No more than two 1-point documents count. Paper documents you use for address or Social Security proof can also count here if listed (e.g. a Social Security card or bank statement).
     Accepted documents (bring 1)

     • Unexpired REAL ID license, non-driver ID or probationary license from any state (4 points)
     • Current U.S. military photo ID, dependent card or retiree card (3 points)
     • Civil marriage or civil union certificate, divorce decree, or name change court order (3 points)
     • U.S. adoption papers or NJ firearm purchaser card (3 points)
     • Unexpired federal employee driver license or photo ID (2 points)
     • Military discharge papers (DD-214) or FAA pilot license (2 points)
     • U.S. school photo ID with transcript or school records, or college photo ID with transcript (2 points)
     • Unexpired standard photo driver license from any state, or NJ standard non-driver ID (1 point)
     • Social Security card (1 point)
     • Bank statement or record (past year), or ATM/debit card with your printed name and signature (1 point; not both)
     • Health insurance or prescription card (1 point)
     • Employee ID with pay stub, or state professional license (1 point)
     • High school diploma, GED or college degree (1 point)
     • NJ municipal property tax statement, bill or receipt (1 point)
     • NJ public assistance card with photo (NJ Social Services ID) (1 point)
     • For NJ high school students: waiver certificate for the written driver test (1 point)
     • Veterans Administration universal access photo ID card (1 point)

2. Check your documents with the MVC's selector

   The MVC's online tool adds up your points (2 + 1 + 6 = REAL ID) and gives you a checklist to print and bring.

   Document selector on nj.gov ↗

3. Book an appointment at a Licensing Center

   REAL ID is available at all Licensing Centers by appointment. New appointments open each morning on a rolling basis. The MVC says the best time is at renewal, within three months of your card's expiration date.

   MVC appointment scheduler ↗

4. At the agency

   Fill out the application (form BA-208), hand in your documents and have your photo taken. Staff scan your documents, a federal requirement. Your new card is mailed to you.

   Form BA-208 (PDF) ↗

Common reasons people get turned away

• Identity documents must be unlaminated originals or certified copies in English with the required state or municipal seals.
• Names must match: the name on your documents must match your Social Security proof, or you need a court order or other legal proof linking the names.
• Only one primary document counts, and no more than two 1-point secondary documents.
• Puerto Rico birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 are not accepted.

Offices that issue REAL ID

The MVC says REAL ID is available at all Licensing Centers by appointment. Agency source.

35 offices in New Jersey

• Bayonne Bayonne ✓ Listed for this office
• Camden Camden ✓ Listed for this office
• South Brunswick Dayton ✓ Listed for this office
• Delanco Delanco ✓ Listed for this office
• Eatontown Eatontown ✓ Listed for this office
• Edison Edison ✓ Listed for this office
• Cardiff Egg Harbor Twp ✓ Listed for this office
• Elizabeth Elizabeth ✓ Listed for this office
• Freehold Freehold ✓ Listed for this office
• Hazlet Hazlet ✓ Listed for this office
• Bakers Basin Lawrenceville ✓ Listed for this office
• Lodi Lodi ✓ Listed for this office
• Manahawkin Manahawkin ✓ Listed for this office
• Medford Medford ✓ Listed for this office
• Newark Newark ✓ Listed for this office
• Newton Newton ✓ Listed for this office
• North Bergen North Bergen ✓ Listed for this office
• Rio Grande North Cape May ✓ Listed for this office
• Oakland Oakland ✓ Listed for this office
• Paterson Paterson ✓ Listed for this office
• Rahway Rahway ✓ Listed for this office
• Randolph Randolph ✓ Listed for this office
• Flemington Ringoes ✓ Listed for this office
• Runnemede Runnemede ✓ Listed for this office
• Salem Salem ✓ Listed for this office
• South Plainfield South Plainfield ✓ Listed for this office
• Springfield Springfield ✓ Listed for this office
• West Deptford Thorofare ✓ Listed for this office
• Toms River Toms River ✓ Listed for this office
• Trenton Trenton ✓ Listed for this office
• Turnersville Turnersville ✓ Listed for this office
• Vineland Vineland ✓ Listed for this office
• Wallington Wallington ✓ Listed for this office
• Washington Washington ✓ Listed for this office
• Wayne Wayne ✓ Listed for this office

8 other offices that handle licenses

Neither the office's service list nor the agency says these offices issue REAL ID. Call the office before you go.

• Winslow Ancora
• Miller Air Park Berkeley Township
• Cherry Hill Cherry Hill
• Kilmer Edison
• Cape May Erma
• Mays Landing Mays Landing
• Salem Salem
• Salem Salem

Find a nearby office by city or ZIP

Search

Results show offices that issue REAL ID or may, nearest first, each labelled.

Read more

• New Jersey driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID
• REAL ID explained: what changed and which ID you need to fly

Did it work on your first visit?

Tell us after you've been. One anonymous answer, no account, nothing else saved.

Yes, first visitNo

If not, what went wrong?
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Sources · checked October 30, 2026

• REAL ID FAQs (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• REAL ID document selector (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• REAL ID document checklist, R: 3/26 (NJ MVC, PDF)
• Licensing Centers (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• License and Permit Fees (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• License Renewal (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• REAL ID Emergency Issuance (NJ MVC, nj.gov)
• What to Bring / 6 Points of ID (NJ MVC, nj.gov)

We wrote this plan ourselves from the official pages above on the date shown. Agencies change rules without notice: the official page always wins. DMVorganization.org is independent and not a government agency; we don't book appointments or take payments.