REAL ID Compliance Made Easy for 92,000 O‘ahu Drivers

Real ID gold star sample.

Drivers who need to become REAL ID compliant before the Oct. 1, 2020 deadline, got welcome news on Oʻahu this morning, as city officials announced a new process that will allow drivers to get a duplicate license online.

The announcement prompted a surge in online demand, resulting in the inability of customers to connect with or complete their applications.

The city is urging residents, who are responding to the recent announcement of the availability of the star marking for duplicates online, to be patient.

According to this morning’s announcement, more than 92,000 O‘ahu residents who renewed their driver license between May 2014 and January 2018 do not have to make an appointment or stand in line to get a REAL ID-complaint driver license.  If the required documents previously submitted are on file with the city, these motorists can simply get a duplicate license online and add on the star marking to indicate REAL ID compliance.

“We want to make this federal process as easy as possible for our residents and encourage those who are eligible to take advantage of this easy option,” said Sheri Kajiwara, director of the city’s Department of Customer Services. “Getting your star-marking online is smart, quick and convenient.”

The online service will provide only an exact duplicate of a driver license. For example, changes are not allowed to a name or address. There will be no change made to the expiration date. The online duplicate webpage can be accessed here. Applicants must select “Option 2” for a REAL ID-compliant driver license.

The cost for an online duplicate on Oʻahu is $7 and the card will be mailed to the address on file. A temporary paper license will not be mailed. It can take from six-to-eight weeks to receive the card.

The department suggests that applicants submit their information with enough time to receive the card ahead of Oct. 1, 2020, if needed for domestic air travel and to access federal facilities.

Due to today’s inundation of requests, Oʻahu residents are encouraged to wait a day or two for online traffic to minimize.  The Department of Customer Services is working with the Department of Information Technology to restore webpage operations.

Maui Now reached out to County officials here to see if there will be a similar program implemented on Maui.  We are awaiting a response and will post an update when information is received.