Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Client," "you," or "your") and RealIDPrep LLC ("RealIDPrep," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of our website located at realidprep.com and all document research, ordering, and advisory services we provide (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing our website, submitting an intake form, signing an authorization agreement, making a payment, or otherwise using any part of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use our Services.

These Terms apply to all users of the site and Services, including visitors, clients, and any other parties who interact with RealIDPrep in any capacity.

2. Description of Services

RealIDPrep provides document research and ordering services to assist individuals in obtaining the records required for Real ID compliance under the REAL ID Act of 2005 and applicable state law. Our Services may include any combination of the following, as outlined in your specific service agreement:

• Document Research: Identifying which certified records you are required to present for Real ID compliance based on your individual circumstances, and locating the specific agencies that hold those records.
• Document Ordering: Submitting requests and orders for certified copies of vital records, government-issued documents, and other required materials on your behalf to the issuing agencies. All certified records are sent directly from those agencies to you — RealIDPrep does not receive, hold, or possess your certified documents at any point.
• Self-Submit Packages: For agencies that require the subject of the record to submit the request personally, we prepare a complete, ready-to-submit package with all forms completed, fees calculated, and step-by-step instructions for your submission.
• Case File Delivery: Upon case completion, we deliver a case file containing unofficial record copies (where publicly available), agency fee receipts, order confirmations, and DMV-ready instructions.
• State-Specific Guidance: Advising on the documentation requirements of your specific state's DMV or licensing authority.

2.1 Service Scope

Our Services are limited to research and ordering assistance. We do not guarantee that documents ordered on your behalf will be accepted by any DMV or government authority, as acceptance is determined solely by those agencies. We are not responsible for any DMV policy changes, interpretation of requirements, or individual examiner decisions. Because certified records are delivered directly from issuing agencies to you, we are not responsible for errors or omissions in documents as produced by those agencies.

2.2 Non-U.S. Citizens and Foreign Documents

Our Services are primarily designed for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents navigating domestic records. If you are a non-U.S. citizen or require the retrieval of records from foreign government agencies, we will evaluate your case individually. We make no representation that we can successfully retrieve foreign records, and we reserve the right to decline any case that falls outside our current operational capabilities. Additional fees and timelines may apply to international document cases.

3. Eligibility

To use our Services, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• You must be at least 18 years of age, or the legal age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater.
• You must be legally required or permitted under U.S. law to obtain a Real ID, REAL ID-compliant driver's license, or equivalent federal identification.
• You must have the legal authority to authorize the retrieval of the records being requested — meaning the records belong to you or you have documented legal authority to act on behalf of the individual whose records are being requested.
• You must provide accurate, truthful, and complete information throughout the intake and service process.
• You must not be using our Services for any fraudulent, unlawful, or unauthorized purpose.

By using our Services, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements listed above. We reserve the right to decline service to or immediately terminate the engagement of any Client who does not meet these requirements or who we have reasonable cause to believe is misrepresenting their identity or authorization.

4. Identity Verification & Authorization

Because we retrieve personal government records on your behalf, verifying your identity and obtaining your explicit authorization is a non-negotiable condition of service. We will not begin work on your case until all verification steps have been completed.

4.1 Required Verification Steps

Prior to commencing any document research or ordering, you will be required to complete all of the following:

• Government-Issued ID Upload: Submit a clear photo or scan of a current, valid government-issued photo identification (e.g., driver's license, state ID, or passport).
• Identity Confirmation Questions: Answer knowledge-based verification questions to confirm your identity matches the records being requested.
• Signed Service Agreement: Execute a written service agreement (via electronic signature) that explicitly grants RealIDPrep permission to research and submit document orders on your behalf. This document specifies the exact scope of our authority and is maintained in our records.

4.2 Document Delivery

All certified records ordered through our Services are delivered by the issuing agency directly to the mailing address you provide on your intake form. RealIDPrep does not receive, intercept, hold, forward, or retain your certified documents at any stage. Case-file materials (unofficial copies, receipts, and instructions) are delivered electronically to the email address on file. We will not release case-file information to any third party without separate written authorization from the Client, except as required by law.

4.3 Fraudulent Authorization Claims

If you authorize us to retrieve records by misrepresenting your identity, your relationship to the subject of those records, or your legal authority to request them, you assume full and sole legal responsibility for any resulting consequences. RealIDPrep shall bear no liability for actions taken in good faith in reliance on authorizations that are subsequently found to be fraudulent or unauthorized. We reserve the right to report suspected identity fraud to appropriate authorities.

5. Fees & Payment

5.1 Retainer Fee

A non-refundable retainer is required to begin work on your case. The retainer amount is determined by the complexity of your case and the service tier selected:

• Standard Cases — $75.00: Applies to straightforward document research and ordering involving commonly available U.S. records. Includes up to two (2) hours of research and ordering time.
• Complex Cases — $125.00: Applies to cases involving multiple documents, difficult-to-locate records, multi-state research, amended records, overseas records, military records, or other complicating factors as determined by RealIDPrep. Includes up to two (2) hours of research and ordering time.
• Express Service — $225.00: Available for Standard or Complex cases. Moves your case to the front of the active work queue immediately upon completed intake. RealIDPrep will finish any case currently in progress, then begin work on your case ahead of all other queued cases. Express service prioritizes our research and ordering time only — government agency processing times are not affected. Includes up to two (2) hours of research and ordering time.

The applicable tier will be determined at intake. If we determine your case is more complex than initially assessed, we will notify you before incurring additional billable time.

5.2 Additional Hourly Billing

If your case requires research or ordering work beyond the two (2) hours covered by your retainer, additional time is billed at the applicable overage rate for your tier, prorated to the nearest 15-minute increment:

• Standard overage — $50.00/hr
• Complex overage — $75.00/hr
• Express overage — $150.00/hr

For each document request submitted on your behalf, a minimum of fifteen (15) minutes of ordering time is allocated to complete and submit the required request forms. We will notify you before exceeding your retainer coverage and will not continue work without your approval to incur additional charges.

5.3 Government & Third-Party Pass-Through Fees

Government agencies, vital records offices, and other third-party issuers charge their own fees to produce and certify copies of records. These fees are entirely separate from our service fees and are not included in your retainer. Pass-through fees will be disclosed to you as they become known. You authorize us to collect these fees from you and remit them to the issuing agency on your behalf. We do not mark up third-party fees. Documents are ordered and dispatched by the issuing agency only after all applicable fees have been received.

5.4 Payment Terms & Card on File

The retainer fee is due in full at the time of intake before any work begins. Prior to orders being placed, you will receive an invoice covering any overage time owed and all applicable agency pass-through fees. Orders are placed only after this invoice is paid in full.

You agree to maintain a valid payment method on file for the duration of your engagement to cover any additional time or document fees that arise. All payments are processed through our secure payment processor. RealIDPrep does not store your full payment card information.

6. Refunds & Cancellations

6.1 Retainer Non-Refundability

The retainer fee compensates RealIDPrep for the time and resources committed to your case from the moment work begins. As such, retainer fees are generally non-refundable once intake has been completed and work has commenced.

6.2 Case-by-Case Refund Consideration

We understand that circumstances change, and we are committed to treating every Client fairly. Refund requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the following factors:

• The amount of work completed at the time of the cancellation or dispute
• Whether the Client provided inaccurate or incomplete information that materially affected our ability to perform services
• Whether RealIDPrep failed to perform a material part of the agreed services
• Any other circumstances reasonably bearing on fairness

To request a refund or discuss a billing dispute, contact us at legal@realidprep.com. We will respond within five (5) business days.

6.3 Government & Third-Party Fees

Pass-through fees paid to government agencies or third-party issuers on your behalf are not refundable by RealIDPrep once they have been submitted to the issuing agency. If a government agency refunds such a fee directly, we will pass that refund through to you in full.

6.4 DMV Rejection

Rejection of your documents or Real ID application by a DMV or other government authority does not, on its own, constitute grounds for a refund of RealIDPrep's service fees. Our services are limited to research and retrieval; final acceptance determinations are made solely by the relevant government agency. See Section 8 (No Guarantee of Outcome) for full details.

6.5 Cancellation by RealIDPrep

We reserve the right to cancel any engagement at our discretion, including in cases of suspected fraud, Client misrepresentation, abusive conduct toward our staff, or inability to complete services due to circumstances beyond our control. In the event of a cancellation initiated by RealIDPrep for reasons other than Client fault, we will refund a prorated portion of the retainer based on work not yet performed.

7. Client Responsibilities

Your cooperation is essential to our ability to serve you effectively. As a Client, you are responsible for the following:

7.1 Accuracy of Information

You must provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information throughout the intake process and for the duration of your engagement. This includes but is not limited to your legal name, date of birth, prior names, addresses, and any other information required to locate and retrieve your records. If you become aware of an error in the information you provided, you must notify us promptly.

RealIDPrep is not liable for delays, failed retrievals, incorrect documents, or any other negative outcome resulting from inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information provided by you. If inaccurate information causes us to perform work that must be redone, additional hourly fees may apply.

7.2 Timely Response

Cases are worked in the order in which RealIDPrep receives completed, workable information. Some stages of your case will require your input, approval, clarification, or additional documentation. You agree to respond to our communications within a reasonable timeframe. Delays caused by your failure to respond may result in your case losing its position in the active work queue. RealIDPrep is not liable for case delays attributable to Client non-responsiveness, and such delays do not pause or waive any applicable fees.

7.3 Lawful Use

You agree to use our Services solely for lawful purposes. You may not use RealIDPrep to obtain records under false pretenses, to facilitate identity fraud, or for any purpose that violates applicable federal, state, or local law.

7.4 Miscommunication Acknowledgment

If there is a discrepancy between your understanding of our Services and what we have delivered, you agree to contact us at legal@realidprep.com before initiating a chargeback or dispute with your payment provider. We are committed to resolving miscommunications directly and in good faith.

8. No Guarantee of Outcome

RealIDPrep provides research and retrieval assistance. We do not control, and cannot guarantee, the decisions or outcomes of any government agency, DMV, vital records office, or other third party involved in the Real ID process. Specifically:

8.1 DMV Acceptance

Successfully obtaining certified copies of your records does not guarantee that your state DMV will accept those documents or issue you a Real ID. DMV requirements, individual examiner interpretations, office-level policies, and document standards can vary and change. RealIDPrep is not responsible for any DMV rejection, even if we have gathered what we reasonably believed to be all required documentation.

8.2 Document Accuracy by Issuing Agency

Certified records are produced and dispatched by government agencies and third-party issuers directly to you. RealIDPrep does not receive, inspect, or handle these certified documents. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, incorrect information, incorrect formatting, or lack of proper certification on documents as issued and mailed by those agencies. If a document you receive contains an error originating with the issuing agency, we will make reasonable efforts to assist you in obtaining a corrected document, but we cannot guarantee that a correction will be issued or accepted.

8.3 Website Descriptions vs. Delivered Services

We make reasonable efforts to ensure that the descriptions of our services on our website are accurate. However, the specific services deliverable in any given case are governed by your individual service agreement and intake documentation, not by general website copy. In the event of any conflict or discrepancy between website language and your service agreement, the service agreement controls.

8.4 Processing Times & Delays

We provide estimated processing timeframes based on typical agency response times, but we cannot guarantee that any government agency, vital records office, or third-party issuer will respond within any particular timeframe. RealIDPrep is not liable for delays caused by agency backlogs, systems outages, mail delays, staffing issues, or any other factor outside our control.

9. Limitations of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, RealIDPrep's total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of our Services shall not exceed the total amount of fees you actually paid to RealIDPrep in the six (6) months preceding the claim.

9.1 Exclusion of Consequential Damages

In no event shall RealIDPrep be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to lost income or wages, inability to travel, employment consequences, missed deadlines, or any other economic harm, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. This exclusion applies regardless of the theory of liability — contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise.

9.2 Third-Party Actions

RealIDPrep is not liable for any error, omission, delay, incorrect document, refusal, or other action or inaction by any government agency, vital records office, mail carrier, or other third party involved in your case. Our liability is limited strictly to the services performed directly by RealIDPrep personnel.

9.3 Data Breach

While we implement reasonable and industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information (see Section 11), no data transmission or storage system is completely secure. In the event of a data breach attributable to our systems, our liability is limited as described in this Section 9. We will notify affected Clients in accordance with applicable state and federal data breach notification laws.

9.4 Disclaimer of Warranties

Our Services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that our Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that any particular result will be achieved.

10. Third-Party Agencies & External Services

The nature of document research and ordering requires that we interact with government agencies, vital records offices, notaries, and other third parties on your behalf. By engaging our Services, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• Third-party agencies operate under their own rules, timelines, and requirements, which RealIDPrep does not control and cannot compel them to change.
• Certified records are issued and shipped directly from the relevant agency to your address. RealIDPrep does not receive, hold, or forward your certified documents at any point in this process.
• Any fee, requirement, or process change implemented by a third party after your engagement has begun may affect cost or timeline. We will communicate such changes to you promptly.
• RealIDPrep acts as your authorized representative in communicating with and submitting requests to these agencies. Any representations we make to third parties are made in good faith and within the scope of your service agreement.
• We are not responsible for any act or omission by a third-party agency, including but not limited to lost mail, processing errors, incorrect certifications, delivery delays, or refusal to fulfill a records request.

11. Data, Privacy & Document Handling

Protecting your personal information is a responsibility we take seriously. This section summarizes how we handle your data. For complete details, please review our Privacy Policy.

11.1 Information We Collect

In order to provide our Services, we collect personal information including your name, date of birth, contact information, government-issued ID, and the information submitted through your intake form. Certified records ordered through our Services are delivered directly from issuing agencies to you — RealIDPrep does not receive or retain your certified documents. We may retain unofficial copies of publicly available records that were obtained as part of your research, which are included in your case file.

11.2 Data Retention

We retain your case file — including personal information, intake documentation, signed service agreements, and any unofficial copies or receipts — for a period of 90 days following the completion of your case. After 90 days, your data is securely purged from our active systems unless you have requested extended retention. Because certified records are delivered directly to you by the issuing agencies, RealIDPrep does not retain certified document originals after case closure.

If you require assistance re-ordering documents after the 90-day retention window has expired, we may be able to assist with a new research engagement. Please contact us at legal@realidprep.com to discuss your options.

11.3 Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information to any third party. We share your information only as follows:

• With government agencies and third-party issuers, to the extent necessary to retrieve your requested records
• With our secure technology service providers (e.g., cloud storage, payment processing, e-signature), under confidentiality agreements
• As required by law, legal process, or valid government request

11.4 Security Measures

We use industry-standard security measures, including encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and secure storage practices to protect your information. Despite these measures, we cannot guarantee absolute security against all possible threats.

11.5 Your Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us at legal@realidprep.com. Deletion requests will be honored subject to any legal obligations requiring us to retain certain records.

12. Intellectual Property

All content on the RealIDPrep website — including text, graphics, logos, service descriptions, workflow processes, and other materials — is the property of RealIDPrep LLC and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or use our content for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent.

Nothing in these Terms grants you any license or right to use the RealIDPrep name, logo, or branding in any manner without express written permission.

13. Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

13.1 Informal Resolution First

Before initiating any formal dispute process, you agree to contact RealIDPrep at legal@realidprep.com and make a good-faith effort to resolve the issue directly. We will respond within five (5) business days. Many issues can be resolved quickly through direct communication, and we are committed to working with you fairly.

13.2 Binding Arbitration

If an informal resolution cannot be reached within thirty (30) days of your written notice to us, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or our Services shall be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court. This applies to all claims of any kind, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory.

Arbitration shall be conducted by a mutually agreed-upon arbitration service under its then-current rules. The arbitration shall take place in the State of Texas, or remotely if both parties agree. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

13.3 Exceptions to Arbitration

Notwithstanding the above, either party may pursue claims in small claims court that qualify under the applicable jurisdictional limits. Either party may also seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual property rights or confidential information.

13.4 Class Action Waiver

You agree that any arbitration or legal proceeding shall be conducted solely on an individual basis. You waive any right to bring or participate in any class action, collective action, or representative proceeding against RealIDPrep, whether in arbitration or in court.

13.5 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of law principles. To the extent any dispute is not subject to arbitration, you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Texas.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, business practices, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where feasible, notify active Clients by email.

Your continued use of our Services after any changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically. If you do not agree to any revised Terms, you must discontinue use of our Services.

For engagements already in progress at the time of a Terms update, the Terms in effect at the time your retainer was paid will govern your existing engagement unless you affirmatively agree to the updated Terms.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to these Terms of Service, please contact our legal team. We aim to respond to all inquiries within five (5) business days.