Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Nationwide Outage Halts Passport Verification at Illinois DMVs

Illinois officials confirm system disruptions, advising residents to call ahead as REAL ID demand strains DMV operations.

Image
People line up at the New York State DMV on April 28, 2025 in New York City.
Image
Image

Overview

  • U.S. passport verification at Illinois DMV offices is unavailable due to a nationwide system outage announced on May 14, 2025.
  • Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias notified residents of the issue and recommended calling ahead to check service availability at (800) 252-8980.
  • The cause of the outage and its expected resolution remain unclear, with state officials actively monitoring the situation.
  • The outage does not impact airport operations, where travelers can still use passports or TSA Form 415 as identification for flights.
  • The outage follows surging demand at DMVs after TSA began enforcing REAL ID requirements on May 7, leading to long lines and delays.