Secretary Of State Appointments Required Beginning Sept. 1

ILLINOIS ­­— Illinois motorists needing to renew their driver’s license or pick up a REAL ID will need to make an appointment to do so beginning Friday when the Illinois Secretary of State’s new Skip The Line initiative goes into effect.

Up until now, drivers who show up at their local Secretary of State location have been able to do so without an appointment. However, in late June Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the Skip The Line program would take hold on Sept. 1 to improve customer service and eliminate the unpredictability of wait times.

Beginning Friday, customers will be required to make appointments for in-person visits at 44 of the busiest DMVs – including all Chicago and suburban locations and some central and downstate DMVs – for those seeking REAL ID, driver’s license, and ID card services, and in-car driving tests, the Secretary of State’s Office said.

Those seeking vehicle-related services, such as title and registration or renewing their license plate sticker, do not need to make an appointment and can just walk in.

“Customers will save time by skipping the line,” Giannoulias said in a news release earlier this summer. “Our goal is to eliminate the Time Tax that has plagued Illinoisans for years, forcing them to stand in long lines wasting time – just to conduct basic services.

“Extending hours at all DMVs and requiring appointments at our 44 highest-volume facilities is the most efficient way to get the services you need quickly and without the headache of unpredictable wait times.”

All DMVs statewide will extend hours of operation, with 16 facilities open six days a week – Monday through Saturday, the agency said. All DMVs will change their days and hours of operation from Tues-Sat to Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Those needing to make appointments can do by visiting the Secretary of State website or by calling (844) 817-4649.