Joliet DMV Giving Inaccurate Information For REAL ID Documents

For Illinois residents who fly domestically, the federal government will require you to use a valid U.S. passport or obtain a REAL ID from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, effective October 1st, 2020. At the Joliet DMV, misinformation was given to customers seeking to obtain a REAL ID. A number of combination of documents are needed to obtain a REAL ID of which one option is to bring a birth certificate. At the Joliet Driver Services facility, people were told to go to the Will County Courthouse to get their birth certificate. Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry says that is not the case. In order to obtain a copy of your birth certificate you must go to the Will County Clerk’s Office unless you were born in another county. If you were born in another county you’ll have to go to the county clerk’s office of your birth to obtain the birth certificate. But if you have a valid U.S. Passport, you do not need your birth certificate.

All Driver Services facilities are issuing REAL IDs, with the exception of mobile units and express facilities (Diversey, Lockport, Orland Park, Rockford Auburn St., Roscoe and Washington).

To view documentation required, click here for the REAL ID check list

To listen to the full interview with Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry, click below.