With Katie having recently completed her behind-the-wheel training and after a couple of weeks of waiting on what her school laughingly calls “Student Services” to finally cough up her Driving Eligibility Certificate (which is the school essentially blessing her grades and attendance at school), what remained for us to do was complete what is arguably the most harrowing task of them all: getting her REAL ID-compliant Level 1 Limited Learner Permit from the NC DMV.
Whilst we were at it, it was high time we got Alexander a state-issued REAL ID as well considering his 18th birthday (!) is almost upon us and the documents required for REAL ID address verification have additional options available for people who are younger than 18 which would make things decidedly easier.
That would essentially complete the set of REAL IDs amongst the kids ahead of the impending deadline for having REAL ID to fly or access military bases (i.e., if they wanted to visit their favourite resident of Arlington National Cemetery which is a military installation) which is set to finally come into force on 03 May 2023.
Of course, we actually believed at the time that was an actual deadline that would finally be enforced after many delays since the original enforcement date in May 2008.
Silly us…it’s since been pushed back another two years to 07 May 2025 but we’re going to get that coveted gold star anyway come hell or high water!
This deep dive into the harrowing process that is getting a REAL ID from the North Carolina DMV is going to be a variation on the old phrase “the good, the bad, and the ugly” but we’re going to take them in a slightly different order than usual.
So come along with us as we navigate the treacherous waters of the DMV bureaucracy! 🙂