New Yorkers have until May 7 to get their REAL ID — a form of identification issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles that will be required to board domestic flights and to enter some federal buildings.

Officials within some DMV offices say they’re struggling to keep up ahead of the deadline.

“On a normal day, we’re doing between 100 and 115 people, just doing REAL ID and enhanced driver licenses,” said Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola.

What You Need To Know

  • New Yorkers have until May 7 to get their REAL ID or state-issued enhanced driver's license

  • The form of identification will be required to board domestic flights and to enter some federal facilites

  • Some DMV office arcross the state have reported an influx of customers looking to make the change

Merola says his offices in Troy and East Greenbush have served people from as far away as New York City and believes the state’s appointment-based offices are driving people to smaller offices.

“We’ll do 10 times the amount of customers they do in the course of a day because we’re open to the public,” he said. “They’re only doing appointments.”

In an email sent to Spectrum News 1 Friday, a spokesperson for the state’s DMV disputes Merola’s claims, saying records indicate that only one New York City resident had come to his office for a REAL ID transaction over the course of a week. They went on to say, "NYS-run DMV offices in bordering Albany County are completing more than 175 Real ID transactions daily and also have hundreds of available appointments."

Merola says he’s considering limiting his office to county residents only.

“It’s really come to the point now [that] I’m not sure we can keep up with it as it comes closer to that May 7 date,” he said. “It’s only getting busier and busier.”

Regardless, the deadline remains.

“I tell people right now if you have a passport, wait,” Merola said. “You don’t need to be here, don’t come into the office, you can wait and wait for a slower time.”

The state is expanding Thursday evening hours in and around New York City, and Merola encourages people to bring their patience in addition to the required documents.

“You’ve got to make sure that you’re bringing proper identification,” he said. “You need either a passport or a birth certificate, social security card or a W-2 or 1099 and something with your legal address on it.”