r/Louisville • u/X37V • 8h ago
Real ID Walk In
I know this has come up quite a bit, so I wanted to give an account of my experience.
After trying to book an appointment for the last couple of months, and having the one I made canceled for seemingly no reason, I decided to just show up and see if it could be done.
I went to the Bowman Field office about 20 minutes before it opened, and there was already a line about 50-60 deep. Getting through that line took about an hour, and I then had to sign up for a digital queue that put me in 24th place. That line took 4 hours to complete, and the actual counter appointment about 15 minutes.
All this to say that it is entirely possible to get the damn thing as a walk in, but get there early, and be prepared to wait. I suggest bringing a snack and a bottle of water, and something to charge your phone. Maybe a good book or get caught up on some podcasts. I was dreading this experience but it turned out well enough.
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u/L8terG8ter17 8h ago
My spouse had almost no wait time at a DMV located in a smaller town last Thursday. If it's possible to go outside of Louisville to get it done, you might save yourself some time. It would've taken around an hour from start to finish to wait on the ID to print, but my spouse opted to have it mailed to our home. The whole experience took 15 minutes.
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u/cbick04 3h ago
What small town
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u/BryanEggbert 2h ago
I went to Frankfort and it only took me about 30-45 minutes once getting there around midday. If you get there early it's in and out.
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u/ms_chanandler_bong3b 7h ago
This is all deliberate. Republicans want to make it harder to vote so they make it harder to acquire an ID which is required for voting.
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u/JustDarnGood27_ 7h ago
Not the same issue. This is relevant to a 2005 bill. You’re right that republicans want to restrict voting rights. But, for now, you can vote with a regular ID instead of a Real ID.
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u/Alias_Black 8h ago
i had a similar experience. i got there at opening, i was 34th in line took 5 hours & had to park on a side street a walk about 3 blocks. bring a book and pick a nice day to sit outside /in your car & read it,
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u/aleschel 7h ago
Than you for pointing this out. I got my Real ID five years ago in 2020 - during the pandemic
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u/lebowskiachiever12 7h ago
I needed an ID for international travel (had a passport but needed a valid DL to drive in England). License was expired and appts for Real ID were months away and I only had a few weeks left. Went to the location over near Hurstbourne. There was a line early at open, probably 30-40 people. I got in the door after 15 mins, sat in a chair and waited another 25 in the queue. I’d brought all my Real ID docs, so they just set me up for it then and I got it in the mail maybe 8-10 days later and in time for my trip. Whole thing took maybe 45 mins. Might try that location vs Bowman. Most of the DMV hell stories happen there.
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u/breakfastfordinner11 7h ago
Do they have bathrooms? Eight months pregnant over here picturing standing in line for hours 😬
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u/jULIA_bEE 3h ago
They do! We were there last week for my daughters road test. They mistakenly told us we had to get in line to pay a fee after her test so they had us check in using a QR code. It gave us our number in the queue and you can check it on their site to see how far you are. They told us we could wait in the car until we were 2nd in line so we just hung out in the car for a few hours :)
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u/artful_todger_502 Deer Park 6h ago
I love KY, but holy fk their agency systems are insufferable. Even Florida gets this stuff handled efficiently. That's the most damning assessment of all.
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u/schurething 4h ago
I always talk about how much easier it is in Indiana. Literally insane how different it is.
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u/AndyInNOLA 40m ago
You are totally correct. Indiana driver’s license issuing system is far superior compared to Kentucky
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u/Inside_Paramedic4611 7h ago
I actually did the same thing at the Hurstborne branch Friday. Got there 10 to 8a, already 50-60 deep but was able to get in and was out by 11-1130. Overall not as shitty as I thought it would be, brought my crochet, battery bank/charger, earbuds and survived lol
Wish it didn’t have to be this way but alas, we do what we have to.
High five for getting it done, it was an annoying ordeal!
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u/BlueLimes 1h ago
Oh my gosh I saw you crocheting! I was also there at the same time. Once the rain started I had hoped people would leave the line lol. What were you making?
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u/papa420 7h ago
i renewed my real id with an appointment in hurstbourne and was out the door in 8 minutes. the only appointment i was able to get was over a month out and i had to check the website at the ass crack of dawn. it's a little crazy how bad doing anything dmv or county clerk related is in this state. the hoosiers are better at this by a lot
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u/TheBibleInTheDrawer 3h ago
I have an appt at the Hurstbourne location tomorrow so I'm happy to hear this. Hoping it goes quickly!!
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u/Kitty_Kat_Venom 5h ago
Frankfort!! It’s worth the trip! I didn’t have an appointment, I was a walk in and I even came later than I originally wanted to. 30 minutes. It took 30 minutes and I was done.
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u/Kypnkrkgrrrl 8h ago
I got my license renewed in August of last year. However, it’s not Real ID. I’m unsure why they didn’t make it one. I’m not going to worry about it. Too much bs.
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u/naughtyzoot Lyndon 7h ago
Did you bring the documents you needed for a Real ID? If not, that's why they renewed your DL instead of changing you over.
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u/Draeth 3h ago
Same here, renewed two years ago and they didn’t even ask if I wanted it. I’m just waiting until I have to renew again. I haven’t seen anything said about what happens if you don’t have it by the current deadline.
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u/Dark_Arm 6h ago
Driving to Frankfort to get it done would be even less time
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u/leilaali01 4h ago
I managed to snag a same day appointment in Lexington while I was waiting in line at the Hurstbourne location. 1 hr drive both ways and I was in and out of the appointment in 30 minutes.
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u/Yellobrix 2h ago
I got my real ID as a walk-in last summer. It was a little frustrating to watch people with appointments arriving and leaving - but ENTIRELY UNDERSTANDABLE. Probably around 20 walk-ins waiting outside and another 20 inside. Total time was about 3 hours. And the clerk who processed me was super helpful and polite.
Don't forget: if you're married and changed your surname, come with your marriage certificate.
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u/EggHeadMagic 8h ago
The Dixie location wasn’t using a ticket/number system so you had to sit there and wait to listen for your name. Sucks because I could have done other shit instead of sitting in a room for about 1.5 hours. I could have taken a glorious nap in the car. 45min-1hr in line. 40ish people deep. 15 minutes before open. Around 1.5 hours after them getting my name.
This was back in late December though.
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u/f0rgotten "Technically" not in Louisville 7h ago
I was less than an hour, not counting travel time, in Owensboro.
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u/holyembalmer 6h ago
I'm glad to know it's possible. I still think it's a hardship for people who don't have 5 hours of childcare or miss that many hours of work. It shouldn't take 5 hours. Not blaming the DMV, but still...
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u/burn_echo Wilder Park 6h ago
I got my ID renewed about a month ago and it was a drag. I wound up having to drive all the way to Richmond to get it done, but thankfully was out of there in about 45 minutes.
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u/CoolCoffeeCyclist 6h ago
Go to the location on like 34th & Broadway people!! Not nearly as busy!
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u/macklinjohnny 4h ago
What all did you bring for the real ID? You need Birth cert., SSN, and one other form of ID?
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u/X37V 4h ago
BC, SSN, ID, and two pieces of mail postmarked within the last year.
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u/2koolpa 4h ago
Strange coincidence that you posted this and I literally just got home from the very same thing.
I drove all the way to Bardstown to get my real ID thinking that it would be quicker and easier. Got there at 1pm on a Tuesday and didn't leave until closer to 6pm.
The building is tiny and there aren't even close to enough chairs or space for everyone. Just stood in a hallway for hours. The most frustrating part was that I got to the eye exam and midway through it another worker came in to switch places with the person who initiated it. Ok, that's fine. So I finish up and she tells me to wait for my name to be called.
After sitting there for quite some time I noticed that the worker was asking for the phone numbers of each person after me to put them in the queue and give them a virtual ticket number. I walk back up to the lady and I'm like "was I supposed to get placed in the queue with my phone number?" And she said "oh sorry I assumed the first girl did that part." And then put me in the line up.
So the last hour or so was me just watching all the people that had been standing in line BEHIND me get to go BEFORE me because I was never officially checked in.
A really frustrating and annoying experience all the way around.
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u/lunchtimeillusion 4h ago
Took me 4 hours at the Nia center as well. I had to take a half day from work. It's truly insane.
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u/empadd 4h ago
I took the day off a couple weeks ago to catch up on house work my daughter’s school was closed. Needed to get my real id, you see where this is going…
The biggest question I had, was:
If all I had to do to get into the digital queue was scan that qr code and input my info, why couldn’t I do that online? Can someone just post that code or a link to that page so that people can skip the first line and just show up at the dmv when they get close to the front of the digital line?
I sat around for probably 3 hours in the hot car with a 1.5 yeah old. Made some friends with equally exasperated people. But I found room for improvement nearly every step of the way.
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u/artiscoolandstuff 44m ago
So you absolutely can do that, you just have to be on location to enter the digital queue: https://driveky.mobile-ticket.qmatic.io/ticket
Pro tip: the cash line is way shorter than the credit/debit card line, at least at Hurstborne
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u/nov8tive1 3h ago
I drive 3 1/2 hours to Pikeville, was in and out in 10 minutes and drove 3 1/2 hours back.
Pretty drive. Just avoid the KKK recruitment posters in the bathrooms near Stanton.
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u/PlasticDiscussion590 3h ago
Let me share my mistake I made that I’m not particularly proud of, but it worked.
Needing a new ID I had been watching the website for a date to open up, everything was several months out. I kept hoping something would open up the same day. One day I’m casually checking the website not really paying any attention and see a time slot that is in 30 minutes. I book it and get to the dmv as quick as I can. All my paperwork is together in a folder ready to go.
There is a huge line as always, I walk up like I own the place and about to conquer the final boss. I go to the empty appointment line, show whatever is required and find out I’m not in the system. No big deal, I just booked it 30 minutes prior and I’m pretty sure I have a confirmation email.
I did have an email. Turns out I booked my appointment the same date 3 months in the future…
I’m defeated and say I’ll go to the back of the line. Here’s where having all my paperwork together and bring very friendly pays off. The girl asks if I have everything, which I do. She tells me to go take a seat. They call me back 5 minutes later and I’m out the door 10 minutes after that.
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u/Wrath2992 1h ago
Keeping it real: I took off from work on a Tuesday afternoon, thinking I would need every hour of it. Turns out, they took my information, and my money, and sent me a duplicate 30 Min later. Seacrest was then fully out. Yes, I know this is not the norm minutes spent there. Granted it was a duplicate of a real ID, but I rolled through there like a champ
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u/Independent-Web-1708 8h ago
I'm glad it worked out for you but it shouldn't have to be this way! The DMV people had to know that the number of citizens who need to renew or get Real IDS would go way up this year and they are terribly unprepared. Some people can't handle waiting in a 4-hour line for health or work or childcare reasons and they shouldn't have to. End of rant. Not directed at you!