DMV Changing Hours In New York?

You may have heard that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is extending hours at select branches to help people meet a deadline.  Is it for all DMVs?

Going to the DMV can be tough. You need to make sure you've got all the correct paperwork and that it's filled out correctly. Then you have to wait in line, and if it's not right, you'll probably have to wait again. That's only if you can get there when they're open.

Real ID deadlines are approaching

As of May 7th, if you plan to travel by plane in the United States, you're going to need an enhanced license, passport, or a Real ID, and the only way to get one is to visit a New York Auto Bureau (The DMV). Unfortunately it can't be done online, by phone, or any other method.  You have to do it in person at the DMV.

The kicker is that they've been issuing these IDs since 2017. But if you've waited until now to get one, the window to get it before the deadline is closing.

The DMV is extending hours at select branches

To avoid the rush and still help people to get their Real IDs, the DMV is introducing "Real ID Thursdays." However, it is only happening at select branches in New York. Offices in New York City’s five boroughs, as well as in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, and Suffolk counties, will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

“We know New Yorkers have been looking for more opportunities to get their REAL ID. These extended hours and added appointments represent our latest efforts to expand that opportunity in the parts of the state where appointments have been hardest to come by.” - DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder

It does not say when the extended hours at those branches will end.