The New Massachusetts REAL ID License

It's now available at an RMV office near you, but the waiting time could be hours. That's the case if you choose to visit one of the offices during the next few days.

REAL ID is the new federally compliant driver's license that Massachusetts began issuing this past Monday. Beginning in late 2020, the standard driver's licenses will no longer be accepted as ID when you board an airline flight or try to enter a federal building.

The new license looks the same as the standard one you now have, except for a gold star in the upper right-hand corner. However, according to boston.com, you are not required to have the new license. If your's is up for renewal soon, you can still choose the standard license.

The RMV told the website that the reason for the long wait at this time is because it's taken their staff much longer to process the new licenses. The new REAL ID cards cannot be processed online. The long wait is expected to continue for several weeks to come.