Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon is advising residents the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has again extended the enforcement deadline of the federal REAL ID Act by 19 months, from Oct. 1, 2021 to May 3, 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hanlon is also reminding residents that a U.S. passport is a REAL ID compliant form of identification and that the Monmouth County clerk has passport offices in Freehold Borough, Neptune and Eatontown to assist with the passport application process, according to a press release.
The federal government enacted the REAL ID Act after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror
attacks to require better secure identification for domestic travel and access to certain
federal facilities.
Residents will now have additional time to comply with the law due to the recent extension by the federal government, according to the press release.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, starting May 3, 2023, a
REAL ID compliant identification will be required for air travel within the United States.
“Some residents have expressed frustration about the difficulty they have faced when
trying to obtain a REAL ID driver’s license from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle
Commission due to the agency’s frequent office closures throughout the health crisis,”
Hanlon said.
“It is important for residents to be informed that a U.S. passport is a REAL ID compliant form of identification and that the Monmouth County clerk has three convenient passport offices open and ready to serve the public,” she said.
Passport applications are accepted at the Monmouth County clerk’s two permanent
passport offices and one mobile office by appointment only at this time:
• Freehold Borough – Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, 33 Mechanic St., located in
the Market Yard parking lot (south of Main Street). Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 732-431-7324 to schedule an appointment;
• Neptune – Monmouth County Connection, 3544 Route 66 (near Home Depot). Hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 732-303-2828 to schedule an appointment;
• Eatontown – Mobile County Connection at Monmouth Mall, Upper Level, adjacent to Boscov’s, 180 Route 35. Open on the first Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 732-431-7324 to schedule an appointment.
Information about the required documentation to apply for a passport can be found on
the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office website at MonmouthCountyClerk.com
