How to Get a REAL ID in Connecticut: Documents, Fees, and Appointments

To get a REAL ID in Connecticut, you book an in-person appointment at a DMV hub office, bring original documents proving your identity, Social Security number, Connecticut residency, and any name changes, pay the applicable fee, and wait for the permanent card to arrive by mail. The federal enforcement deadline has already passed: since May 2025, TSA has required a REAL ID or another federally accepted ID to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities.¹ The process itself is straightforward when your paperwork lines up. A single missing or mismatched document will send you home empty-handed.

Documents to Bring

Connecticut requires original documents in four categories. Photocopies, notarized copies, and damaged documents are not accepted.² Every name on every document must match exactly. If your current legal name differs from the name on your birth certificate, you need documentation for each step connecting them.

Proof of Identity

Bring one primary identity document showing your full legal name and date of birth. For U.S.-born applicants, that is usually a valid U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate from the issuing vital statistics office. Hospital-issued birth certificates do not count, and birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before July 1, 2010 are also rejected.² Whatever name appears on this document becomes your legal name on the card.

Social Security Card

Bring your actual Social Security card. It cannot be laminated or a metal novelty version, and applicants 16 and older must have signed it.² The DMV verifies the number electronically with the Social Security Administration. A W-2 or pay stub will not substitute. If you have lost your card, request a replacement from SSA before your appointment.

Name Change Documents

If your current legal name differs from the name on your primary identity document, show the full chain of changes. Certified marriage certificates, civil union certificates, divorce decrees, and probate court name change orders all qualify. Multiple name changes require a document for each step.² This is the most common reason applications are rejected. People bring a birth certificate in a maiden name and a current utility bill and forget the marriage certificate that bridges the two.

Two Proofs of Connecticut Residency

You need two residency documents from two different sources, each showing your name and current Connecticut street address. Most must be dated within 90 days of your appointment. Acceptable options include:²

Utility, bank, mortgage, credit card, or medical bill
Bank statement showing the bank’s name and mailing address
Pre-printed pay stub with your employer’s name and address
Current motor vehicle registration or insurance card
Residential mortgage, lease, or rental agreement, signed by all parties and dated within the previous 12 months
Property or excise tax bill dated within the previous 12 months
Change-of-address confirmation from USPS

Every residency document must be computer-generated and a hard copy. The one exception is postmarked mail, where a handwritten address is allowed. Leases, insurance policies, and tax bills are valid within 12 months instead of 90 days.²

Before your visit, download and complete Form R-229, the Application for Non-Commercial Driver License, from the CT.gov DMV forms page.³ Fill it out digitally or print it and use legible block letters. Every field needs to match your supporting documents exactly. A middle name spelled “Ann” on your birth certificate and “Anne” on the form creates a problem the clerk cannot overlook.

Where to Go and How to Book

Connecticut has two kinds of DMV service locations, and picking the wrong one will waste the trip. Hub offices are full-service DMV branches that handle every transaction, including first-time REAL ID applications. Express offices, run by partners like AAA and Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, handle REAL ID renewals for U.S. citizens, duplicate licenses, and name changes, but they do not process first-time licenses or non-driver IDs.⁴ Express offices also charge a convenience fee on top of the DMV fee: $6 for AAA members and $8 for non-members.

If you are getting a REAL ID for the first time and have never held a Connecticut license, you must go to a hub office.

Schedule online through the CT.gov appointment portal, which shows real-time availability across all hub and express locations.⁵ New slots are added regularly, so check back if nothing is available on your preferred date. Walk-in service is available at most hub offices on weekdays, but not at the Cheshire, Putnam, or Stamford locations, and no location accepts walk-ins on Saturdays.⁶ Even where walk-ins are accepted, expect significantly longer waits than with a scheduled appointment.

What Happens at Your Appointment

At the DMV, you hand over your completed Form R-229 and all original documents. The clerk inspects each one and verifies them against federal standards. A new photograph is taken for the card. If you are applying for a driver’s license rather than a non-driver ID, you will also take a vision screening.⁷

You will not walk out with the permanent card. The clerk issues a temporary paper document that serves as your valid ID until the permanent card arrives. The permanent REAL ID, marked with a gold star in the upper corner, is mailed to your home address within 20 business days.⁸

Fees

What you pay depends on the transaction:⁹

REAL ID upgrade (adding REAL ID to your current license without renewing): $30
License renewal with REAL ID, 6-year term: $72
License renewal with REAL ID, 8-year term: $96
Non-driver ID card, 7-year term: $28

The DMV accepts cash, personal checks and bank checks payable to “DMV,” money orders for the exact amount, and credit or debit cards (American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover).⁹ Third-party checks and checks drawn on foreign banks are not accepted. Express office visits add the convenience fee on top.

Non-Citizens

Only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents qualify for a standard REAL ID. If you hold a green card, you can use your Permanent Resident Card as your primary identity document. Other non-citizens with valid immigration status may be eligible for a limited-term REAL ID, which expires when your authorized stay ends or after one year if your stay has no fixed end date.¹⁰

Acceptable documents for proving legal presence include an I-94, an I-551 stamp in a foreign passport, an Employment Authorization Document (I-766), or a Refugee Travel Document. F-1 students need both an I-20 and I-94; J-1 visa holders need a DS-2019 and I-94.² The DMV verifies immigration status through the federal SAVE system, which can take 10 business days or more. Visitors on tourist visas (B1/B2) or visa waivers are not eligible for any Connecticut license or ID card. Non-citizens who do not qualify for a Social Security number must bring an ineligibility letter from the Social Security Administration.

Applicants Under 18

Minors follow the same document rules with one accommodation: a parent or legal guardian living at the same address can provide the two residency documents in their own name. The documents still need to come from two different sources and meet the same dating rules. School records and report cards also qualify as residency proof for minors.² Children under 18 do not need a REAL ID to fly domestically. TSA does not require identification for minor passengers traveling within the United States.¹

If You Already Have a REAL ID

Once you hold a REAL ID-compliant license, you do not need to reapply or re-verify your documents at renewal. Connecticut lets existing REAL ID holders renew online, skipping the in-person visit.¹¹ The first REAL ID always requires an in-person appointment. There is no way around that initial visit.

If You Need to Fly Before Your Card Arrives

A valid U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, or DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI) will get you through TSA without a REAL ID.¹ Since February 1, 2026, TSA has offered a last-resort option called ConfirmID for travelers who arrive without any acceptable identification. You complete an online form and pay a $45 fee for TSA to attempt to verify your identity through other means. Verification is not guaranteed, the process adds delays, and you will face additional screening even if approved.¹² Spending $45 on an uncertain outcome at the checkpoint is a poor substitute for a $30 upgrade handled weeks in advance.

1
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
2
CT.gov. REAL ID Document Identity Verification Checklist
3
Department of Motor Vehicles. Department of Motor Vehicle Forms
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. DMV Locations and Hours
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. Make or Change DMV Appointment
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. Get a REAL ID
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Connecticut eRegulations. Vision Requirements
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. Central Issuance for ID Fraud Protection
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. DMV Fees
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eCFR. Section 37.21 Temporary or Limited-Term Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. How to Renew Driver’s License
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Transportation Security Administration. $45 Fee Option for Air Travelers Without a REAL ID Begins February 1