Q: I needed to renew my drivers license so thought I might as well get my REAL ID at the same time.

I went without an appointment to the DMV on Senter Road in San Jose, where you can only get a driver’s license. I was out in 20 minutes, which included scanning my documents, taking an eye test and my picture.

I completed the application online before I went to the DMV. I highly recommend this facility.

Richard Keit, San Jose

A: OK, folks, pay attention. Long lines to get a REAL ID may return, as the DMV expects a surge in applications to meet the Oct. 1 deadline. They expect upward of 1 million Californians a month in August and September.

You will need a REAL ID in order to board a plane for domestic flights without a passport or to enter a federal building.

The REAL ID process must be completed at a DMV office, but parts can be done online, such as certifying the necessary documents required for the ID.

To apply for a REAL ID, you must provide your full name, date of birth, and documents such as an unexpired passport, a copy of your birth certificate, or an unexpired permanent resident card, your Social Security number, and two documents that show that you live in California, such as a rental or lease agreement, a home utility bill or employment documents.

Q: I need to get my REAL ID. I would like to avoid providing my Social Security number to the DMV. Can I?

Lynn Hines, San Jose

A: No. All applicants for a REAL ID driver’s license and/or identification card must submit proof of their Social Security number (unless they aren’t eligible for Social Security). DMV electronically verifies it and your birth date with the Social Security Administration while you are in the DMV office. If you refuse, you will not be able to start any REAL ID application.

This information is confidential and will not appear on the license or be encoded on the magnetic strip.

Q: I drove past a DMV office in Concord where there was no line, so I grabbed my documents and made my way to the welcome tent, where a pleasant young man told me that there was a wait of perhaps10 minutes.

At window No. 2, an angel named Tisha suggested that I remain seated while she ran back and forth with my documents. She must have made five or six trips from my chair to her work station, cheerfully handling my questions. I completed two vehicle registrations and was soon out the door.

Susan Bennett Dupuis

A: As Susan and others show, if you have completed necessary paperwork ahead of time, you can walk in without an appointment.

Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at https://ift.tt/27E9ALQ. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow, or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.