As REAL ID deadline approaches, Michigan Secretary of State offices still providing fast and efficient service
New check-in and booking stations, friendly greeters further streamline customer experience
LANSING, Mich. – With the May 7 federal REAL ID deadline fast approaching that will require compliant identification to fly in the U.S., Michigan Secretary of State offices offer a fast and easy ways for customers to upgrade their driver’s license or ID. Despite the heavier volume throughout the state, most customers are still in and out of the office in 20 minutes or less.
More than 74% of people with a Michigan driver’s license or ID have already upgraded to a REAL ID. Since March 18, Secretary of State offices have added more than 35,000 extra appointments to accommodate the demand for REAL ID and are operating more than 10% over normal capacity. Michigan’s REAL ID conversion rate for the week of April 7 was a record-breaking 82.8%. The REAL ID conversion rate for the same week in 2024 was just 19%.
“It’s great to see so Michiganders making sure they get their REAL ID before the May 7 deadline,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said. “While Michigan is already well above the national average for REAL ID compliance, the recent uptick in appointments is proof that residents are taking the necessary steps to avoid potential travel delays in the future. I especially want to thank the hardworking staff at the 131 Secretary of State offices throughout Michigan who are truly going above and beyond to meet the increased demand without sacrificing the quality or speed of our service. I am grateful for their dedication and commitment to serve the people of our great state.”
Michigan driver’s licenses and IDs are REAL ID compliant if they are marked by a star in the upper right corner – either a star within a gold shape of Michigan or a star in a gold circle, depending on the license design. Michigan also offers enhanced driver’s licenses and IDs, which are REAL ID-compliant and can be used to cross the border into the United States from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean by land or sea. Enhanced driver’s licenses and IDs have a U.S. flag icon on the front.
Upgrading a standard license or ID to a REAL ID is free if done during the normal renewal period. Otherwise, a card correction fee of $9 for a driver’s license or $10 for an ID is charged.
When applying for a REAL ID, you will need to bring:
- Your driver’s license or ID.
- Your certified birth certificate with a raised seal or stamp issued by a governmental agency; your valid, unexpired U.S. passport; or an approved citizenship or legal presence document. (Faxes and photocopies won’t be accepted.)
- If your name is different from the name on your birth certificate, bring certified documents, such as marriage licenses or court orders, for every time your name has changed.
Customers who book appointments to update their driver’s license or state ID will find several tools and processes that help ensure they will have a smooth and successful visit. Friendly staff greeters meet visitors right at the door of 51 of the state’s offices. Greeters help every customer quickly check in for their appointment or book an upcoming appointment so they can complete their transaction without unnecessary delay.
As part of a pilot project that started in January, customers in five Secretary of State offices can immediately check in for their appointment or book an appointment using new computerized stations.
The stations, which are oversized computer tablets on a stand near where customers enter an office, provide efficiency in offices that don’t have a full-time staff greeter at the door. Based on the successful pilot, the stations are scheduled to be installed over the next 18 months at the remaining 75 offices that don’t have staff greeters.
The first appointment check-in and booking station was installed Jan. 22 at the St. Johns office. Throughout February and March, the stations were added to the Adrian, Alma, Kalamazoo, and St. Ignace offices. The 22-inch tablets are similar to those used by the public in settings ranging from airports to retailers.
“These stations, an idea from our frontline branch office managers, are another way we are continuing to provide the most convenient and efficient service to Michiganders,” said Jennifer Mazzola, director of the Bureau of Branch Operations at the Michigan Department of State (MDOS). “At offices with smaller staffs, clerks no longer have to try to do two things at once – serve the customer at the counter in front of them and check in or book customers arriving at the office.”
The idea for the stations came from branch office managers in meetings with the MDOS Office of Continuous Improvement and Transformation. In recent months, various MDOS teams and vendors worked to develop the stations with feedback from frontline staff. Customer observations and feedback during the pilot over the past three months helped to further customize the stations to meet customer needs.
Customers can make appointments up to six months in advance for any Secretary of State office by visiting Michigan.gov/SOS or calling 888-767-6424. The online system or call center agent will walk them through everything they need to bring for their transaction, helping them avoid having to make a return visit. If a customer arrives without having scheduled ahead, they can use one of the check-in and booking stations or work with a staff member to book the next available time slot, which may be later in the day or the next business day.
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 The St. Johns branch office is one of the five offices that received the check-in and booking station as a part of the pilot program.
 A customer uses the check-in and booking station to schedule an appointment at the St. Johns branch office.
 Terrence Nichols, a Kalamazoo resident, checks into his appointment at his local branch office using the newly installed station.
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