Appointments for New York City’s municipal identification cards are getting harder to snag as demand for the popular photo IDs surges, but some nonprofit groups helping people apply say they’ve finally cracked the code for how to secure a coveted slot.

The trick is to rush to sign up within minutes after slots are released online or via 311 every Friday afternoon, according to nonprofit providers who spoke with Gothamist. The sign-up rush is reminiscent of what it was like to schedule COVID-19 vaccines when they first became available, or to purchase tickets to a big concert.

“By 3 p.m. I'm on my desk, I'm getting reminders 15 minutes prior to the openings,” said Sheyna Molina, 23, a benefits specialist with the nonprofit Center for Family Life in Sunset Park. “I can make about five to 10 appointments depending on how many clients I have. And then after that, there's no more. After that, they run out.”

The IDNYC program, which first launched in 2015, provides New Yorkers with identification to show police or employers, and also helps them open bank accounts or enter their children's schools. City officials said that since the Adams administration took office, it has significantly altered the program to respond to budget needs and rising demand.

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