Rhode Island DMV opens on Saturdays for REAL ID applications

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island’s motor vehicles division is temporarily opening its headquarters on some Saturdays so residents can upgrade their driver’s license to meet federal requirements that will affect air travel.-

The Cranston office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on select Saturdays of each month, as the October deadline for the federal REAL ID program approaches. Appointments must be made online first.

Current Rhode Island licenses aren’t compliant with the federal program, which was enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks to strengthen rules for identification.

The federal law requires state driver’s licenses and ID cards to have security enhancements and to be issued to people who can prove they are legally in the United States.

Beginning in October, noncompliant IDs won’t be sufficient for boarding a plane or entering secure federal facilities or military bases.

The weekend service is limited to REAL ID transactions for those obtaining or renewing passenger-vehicle driver licenses and state IDs. Appointments for commercial driver license services, including REAL ID, are available on weekdays.