Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019

Harold Nedd: (808) 225-0716

City expands appointments for driver license and state ID renewals

HONOLULU – In an attempt to assist the public with obtaining REAL ID-compliant credentials, the city has opened an additional 100 slots per day for residents to book appointments to renew a driver license or state identification card.

The additional appointment slots bring the available total to nearly 750 bookings per day to help residents seeking the REAL ID star in a gold circle before the deadline of Oct.1, 2020. The city’s driver licensing offices serve more than 1,000 customers per day. Of that total, more than 700 use the appointment system, and the other 200-plus are walk-in customers.

“We made process adjustments that allowed us to open more appointments,” said Customer Services Director Sheri Kajiwara. “Our goal remains to make appointments the standard process for renewals, with limited walk-in service to accommodate emergencies or special conditions.”

O‘ahu residents have now embraced the appointment system. Nearly 71 percent of drivers and ID holders have used the appointment system, which was introduced in April 2018.

For O‘ahu residents who need to renew their credentials, or present documents for the first time in person, the city encourages making an appointment to avoid wait time. Appointments can be made at 10 locations across the island up to six months before a license or state ID expires.

For even greater ease, the city provides an interactive document guide at honolulu.gov/csd. At this site, residents can also make appointments, find office locations and download forms.

Residents who have already presented in person after 2014 and have documents on file can request a duplicate card – for the purpose of obtaining the star marking – online at honolulu.gov/csd. There is a $1 processing fee. The card will only be mailed to the address on file. No changes are allowed. REAL ID-compliant cards are not mailed out of state or out of the country.

For more information, visit honolulu.gov/csd.

Graph description:

Approximately 50 percent of all valid driver license cards have been issued with the star in a gold circle marking.

Approximately 20 percent are up for renewal before the October target date and will have the opportunity to obtain the star at that time.

Approximately 17 percent renewed after 2014, when the marking was not offered, and may have the ability to request the star marking online.

Residents under the age of 18 do not need to present credentials for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and do not need the star marking; between 5 percent and 8 percent have already indicated they do not desire the star marking.

—PAU—