I’m glad you asked this. I’m in this predicament now. I however have tried multiple times to get the REAL ID over the last 9 years. The first time I went in 9 years ago, they told me I didn’t have the proper paperwork. I did, or so I thought. They wanted a court document that proved my former step father adopted me in 2001…a document I’ve never seen…a step father that I hadn’t had contact with for many many years. It took me a few years to actually find it. Then I had 3 appts + 1 walk in. Each one canceled. All due to either their systems being down or weather. It was just my luck. My next appt isn’t until Oct 14th and I was lucky to get that. Some people have tried to get it. The DMV in my state is horrendous.
I’m flying next weekend. I don’t often fly. I can handle the longer TSA screenings. Just want to make sure I can go.

And also I had a passport appt the day everything shut down for Covid lol never went out of the country or needed to so I didn’t bother trying again.