Official appointments only
Book REAL ID / enhanced-license visits through your state’s government site. Paid “skip the line” or “appointment finder” domains that are not .gov are a common scam pattern.
Safe path (any state)
- Open tsa.gov/real-id and choose your state, or search your state DMV / DOL name + site:gov.
- Land on the agency’s REAL ID or driver’s license page.
- Use only appointment / office links that stay on the official domain (or a clearly labeled state vendor portal named on that page).
- Ignore search ads and pop-ups that urge “book now — slots almost gone” with unfamiliar checkout pages.
Beachhead states
| State | Official starting points | Notes (as published) |
|---|---|---|
| Washington |
dol.wa.gov REAL ID Get an EDL |
In-person interview for EDL/EID. Make an appointment via DOL’s official scheduling path linked from those pages. Leave time for document review; applications noted as accepted up to 60 minutes before closing. |
| Oregon |
oregon.gov/RealID dmv2u.oregon.gov |
Appointments recommended (best assurance) but OR notes they are not always required. Slots vary by office; check DMV2U often. In-person docs required for original REAL ID. |
State writeups: Washington · Oregon
Red flags (walk away)
- Domain is not .gov and is not named on the state DMV/DOL page.
- Site charges a separate “convenience,” “processing,” or “priority appointment” fee that the state page does not mention.
- Urgent countdown timers, gift-card payment, or requests for full SSN / license number in a chat widget.
- Spelling variants of “DMV,” “DOL,” or your state name designed to look official.
- They offer to “submit your REAL ID application online for you” when your state requires in-person documents.
Fees — what to expect
- State fees for the license / ID / REAL ID option are published on the DMV/DOL site (example: Oregon’s published $30 REAL ID surcharge — confirm live).
- Airport backup: TSA ConfirmID (fee published by TSA; listed at $45 starting Feb 1, 2026 for travelers without acceptable ID — confirm on TSA ID page). That is not a DMV appointment fee.
- This workshop never collects fees and never books appointments for you.
Before you go
- Documents gathered against the official checklist — generic prep.
- Confirmation email/SMS from the official portal only.
- Buffer time; temporary cards may not work at TSA — plan flights after the permanent card arrives when your state warns about that.