Scalpers Caught Charging Big Bucks For…DMV Appointments As Real ID Deadline Nears

If you thought it was bad trying to get concert tickets, try getting a DMV appointment lately.

Of course the DMV isn’t most people’s idea of a fun night out on the town, but over the past few months there’s been a mad rush of people trying to get their driver’s license renewed ahead of the Real ID Act finally going into effect – for real this time.

The Real ID Act was passed back in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and was meant to enhance airline security by setting requirements that all state IDs must meet to be accepted for federal identification purposes, like airline travel and entering federal government facilities.

The new standards were originally set to go into effect back in 2008 (during the George W. Bush administration, which tells you how long this has been going on), but implementation has been repeatedly delayed as states got their systems up to Real ID standards.

Most recently, the deadline was extended back in 2022, with the new requirements set to go into effect on May 7, 2025 – less than a month from now. And this time, it appears that it’s actually going to happen.

Now, the last state to meet the Real ID certifications was Oklahoma back in 2020, so everyone in the country has had nearly 5 years to get their Real ID. But as we all know, people like to procrastinate, and the result has been a mad rush to the DMV from folks who have waited years (and in some cases a decade) to get their Real ID-compliant driver’s license to ensure that they’ll be able to get through security at the airport.

Those without a Real ID after May 7 will have to have a passport or some other federal identification to fly, so you can imagine the headache that would cause at TSA if you haven’t upgraded your license yet. But an even bigger headache seems to be actually getting an appointment at your local DMV…

Across the country, DMVs are swamped with procrastinators trying to get their Real ID ahead of the deadline, with some states booked up for the next month and having ZERO available appointments before the Real ID requirements go into effect.

Just for fun, I decided to check our DMVs here in Nashville, and it looks like the soonest I could get an appointment is June 16…in Tullahoma, an hour and a half away. Glad I finally got my Real ID last year…

But as with anything that’s in high demand, apparently a black market has developed for DMV appointments.

According to Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez in Florida, a network of scalpers was attempting to hoard the free DMV appointments and sell them for big bucks – with some people paying up to $250 for a trip to the DMV.

Of course if you’re flying in the near future and need your ID to get on the plane you’d probably be willing to just pay the money to get the appointment to make sure you don’t get turned away and miss your flight. But Fernandez says that his office is aware of the appointments that were scheduled by scalpers, and buying one could cause you even bigger problems:

 “We know who they are and how they operate. We will not accept any appointment obtained through system abuse. Our office is committed to ensuring that all residents have fair and equal access to services without interference from those seeking to exploit the system.”

Imagine paying $250 for a ticket to the DMV and getting turned away. Talk about adding insult to injury.

I have a feeling we’ll be seeing all kinds of angry folks getting denied boarding on flights once Real ID goes into effect, but hopefully if you’re traveling anytime soon you’ve already got your license squared away so you won’t have any problems.

And if not, good luck trying to get an appointment at your local DMV…may the odds be in your favor.