NASHUA – Those looking to board commercial airplanes may soon be left grounded if they don’t “get REAL.”

New U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulations set to take effect in 2020 will also require that anyone wishing to enter a federal facility or a nuclear power plant site present the new REAL ID. Therefore, officials with the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles are urging residents to act before their flights leave without them.

“I strongly urge all Granite Staters to take a few moments out of their day and get a REAL ID,” Gov. Sununu said. “Making the switch will ensure that you are compliant with new federal guidelines, and are able to easily travel both here in New Hampshire and across the country.”

IDParticipation in this program is voluntary, as other federally compliant identification, such as a passport, may also be used for domestic air travel.

Still, to facilitate the process, the New Hampshire DMV is now going to open on the second Saturday of each month. Starting this week, the locations to open from 8 a.m. to noon include Nashua, Salem, Manchester, Concord, Dover and Twin Mountain.

Applications for REAL IDs must be submitted in person. When residents apply for a REAL ID, additional documentation is required and should be gathered prior to visiting the DMV. A complete list of acceptable documents is available online at, www.getreal.nh.gov.

Documents relating to name changes due to marriage, divorce, adoption, etc. must be presented at the time of the transaction.

There is no additional fee for REAL IDs, although if it is not time for a renewal, residents will be charged a $3 replacement fee.

A pamphlet available at the Nashua DMV office, located at 110 Broad St., lets people know that because current driver’s licenses or non-driver identification cards may be used for federal identification purposes until Oct. 1, 2020, residents can wait until the time of their regular renewal. In doing so, they would also avoid that replacement fee.

Current identification will continue to be accepted for federal purposes until Oct. 1, 2020.

REAL IDs will feature a gold star symbol in the upper right hand corner. Non-compliant identification will state “Not For Federal Identification.”

Adam Urquhart can be reached at 594-1206, or at

aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.