A Suffolk woman says she is having a hard time getting her car registered due to an influx of Real ID appointments.
Marisa Meringolo, of Shirley, says the earliest appointment to register her car is more than a week away. She tried walking in at the Medford location only to be told to come back with a reservation.
"She said ‘Well, sorry, you cannot enter,’" said Meringolo.
A frustrated Meringolo says she checked with every DMV office on Long Island, and the earliest appointment she could make for a new car registration is April 9.
Starting May 7, New Yorkers need a Real ID if they are flying domestically, unless they have a passport. The DMV says starting April 3, it is extending its hours to accommodate people who want a Real ID.
The DMV sent News 12 a statement saying:
"...Each day, a certain number of appointments are reserved for walk-ins. With increased demand for Real ID transactions, those walk-in appointments fill up quickly. After looking at our available appointment slots for transactions other than Real ID upgrades, we have reservations available within a week."
"I have to wait until the 9th, which I don't think is fair. They should have half of the DMV address the Real ID. The other half should address people who need vehicles on the road," said Meringolo.