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Dozens line up at Express OMV as enforcement deadline for REAL ID looms
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BATON ROUGE — The enforcement deadline for REAL ID is Wednesday and dozens of people lined up Monday morning at the Express OMV at the corner of Siegen Lane and Perkins Road to get a compliant license or identification card.
Around 50 people lined up both inside and outside the Express OMV office to sign up for REAL ID, which starting Wednesday, will be required to board both domestic and international flights, as well as access federal buildings and nuclear power plants.
If a license or ID card isn’t REAL ID compliant, residents can use any of the alternatives listed here to get past TSA checkpoints. The Department of Homeland Security also recommends calling federal buildings in advance to see which types of documents they require.
"it’s been a misconception that you had to have it before May 7 or on May 7. But we’re going to issue those forever so if you’re not going to fly between now and the fall, you have plenty of time to come in after," OMV spokesperson Mathew Boudreaux said.
Peggy Hatch waited for hours to claim her ID to find out that she did not have to rush.
"I was under the impression that everybody had to have the ID before the deadline," Hatch, a resident, said.
The Office of Motor Vehicles said that it is continuing to remind residents that all field offices will continue to issue REAL ID licenses and identification cards after the enforcement date.
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