DMV

We went to the DMV in the capital. When I went last year to renew my license and change to a REAL ID one the worst part was the wait (since they had changed everything so that those needing a regular a Driver's License waited with the drunks trying to get back their suspended license or those with court orders, etc..) This time we literally waited 6 minutes (they went back to the old system of separating the regular Driver's Licenses and everyone else.) But that is where the intelligence ended.

Apparently, despite what their website says you can't get a 5 year REAL ID Driver's License in this state if it is 6 months before your renewal date. You can get a REAL ID license valid up until your current renewal. On top of that they give you a cheapp-looking temporary license that can only be used to drive in the state (not to board planes or enter Federal buildings) and you get the permanent one within 45 days. Supposedly, they are fast-tracking this license and hopefully it will be here before he flies.

So instead of getting a 5 year REAL ID Driver's License my Dad got a temporary REAL ID License valid until September 2020 and is waiting on the permanent license (also valid only until September 2020) to come in the mail. He won't be in the States to get his 5 year regular License this September so will have to try and do it through the mail. 

After the DMV we went to the AAA travel store nearby and got great service and everything we needed. Too bad the DMV couldn't be run like AAA. This is the only state I have lived in where you can't do things online and even doing them in person doesn't match what their official website says.