There are less than two months until REAL ID enforcement is set to begin across the U.S., and Washington is one of just five states with alternative options for some scenarios. The Department of Homeland Security keeps a countdown on its REAL ID page, tracking the deadline down to the second.

DMVs across the Chicago area are seeing spikes in Real ID appointment requests, some even reporting hours-long wait times. That's why it's important to know what you'll need with you to get one.

Originally, the law mandated the switch to REAL IDs by 2008, but that date has been pushed back year after year. Now the deadline is only a few weeks away.

With the federal REAL ID deadline quickly approaching, U.S. travelers over 18 will need a REAL ID or another approved form of identification, such as a passport, to board domestic flights starting May 7.