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.