Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that his office is upgrading security features to the Driver’s License/ID card design and expanding the central issuance process for driver’s licenses and ID cards to all applicants. With implementation of these changes, Illinois has moved closer to achieving full REAL ID compliance, which is a federal mandate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
By the end of July, applicants visiting Driver Services facilities will no longer be issued a new permanent DL/ID card at the end of the application process. Instead, they will leave the facility with a temporary secure paper driver’s license, which is valid for 45 days and will serve as their DL/ID for driving purposes and proof of identification. The temporary, secure paper driver’s license or ID card will contain a photo and the basic information that appears on the permanent driver’s license or ID card. In addition, the facility employee will return the old DL/ID card back to the applicant after punching a hole in it.
Meanwhile, the applicant’s information will be sent to a centralized, secure facility in Illinois. After fraud checks have been conducted to ensure the applicant’s identity, a higher quality, more secure DL/ID will be printed and sent via U.S. mail within 15 business days to the applicant’s address.
“These changes are necessary for Illinois to be REAL ID compliant,” said White. In addition, the changes further enhance our efforts to protect Illinoisans from fraud and identity theft.” The upgraded driver’s license and ID card contain a variety of enhanced security features that take advantage of new developments in technology.”
For purposes of air travel, DHS states that it will accept the temporary document in conjunction with the old DL/ID to board an aircraft until the permanent card arrives in the mail. Illinois joins 39 other states that have moved to centralized production of DL/ID cards. This includes heavily populated states like California, Texas, and New York – as well as Illinois’ neighboring states.
These necessary changes are important steps toward becoming REAL ID compliant. DHS announced in January that Illinois DL/IDs will continue to be accepted as primary forms of identification to board commercial airplanes for domestic travel until January 22, 2018. The Illinois Secretary of State’s office continues to work with DHS and the Illinois General Assembly on the Real ID Act.
“Becoming REAL ID compliant is a step-by-step process, and with these changes Illinois is now 84 percent compliant with the federal mandate,” said White.
Central issuance provides better fraud and identity theft prevention by allowing the office to investigate possible fraud before applicants receive their DL/ID – and preventing its issuance and mailing. In addition, the design of the DL/ID card has been upgraded with important features that over-the-counter technology simply cannot produce. These types of anti-counterfeiting security features help prevent and deter fraud.
The transition to central issuance will take place in phases. First, beginning this week, Safe Driver Renewal applicants will receive by mail their new driver’s license with the upgraded security features. These motorists opted for and expect to receive their driver’s license via mail. Second, through a gradual rollout, Driver Services facilities throughout the state will implement central issuance using the newly designed card. By the end of July, all Driver Services facilities will have transitioned to central issuance.
It is imperative that applicants ensure their address is updated with the Secretary of State’s office in order to receive the permanent driver’s license or ID card. By law, address changes must be reported within 10 days. Illinoisans can update their address online at www.cyberdriveillinois.com. If an applicant does not receive their new permanent driver’s license or ID card after 15 business days of visiting a facility, they can check the status at www.cyberdriveillinois.com or call 217-782-7044.
While the driver’s license and ID card upgrades are being implemented, there will be more than one valid driver’s license/ID card until the old design format is phased out. Fees remained unchanged.
To access a video, please click the following link: http://www.illinois.gov/cms/agency/media/video/sitepages/videos.aspx
- Just Me - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:23 pm:
Here is my issue: while TSA agents may be trained that expired drivers licenses with a hole cut in them combined with a slip of paper is a valid ID to get on a plane, do you really expect everyone else to magically know what is going on? If you’re in your mid 20s you get asked to produce your ID multiple times a month. What if you visit another State? Bouncers for New York clubs will tell you to get lost if you produce the documents that the Secretary of State says is supposed to be valid.
C’mon, State of Illinois!!! Other states have figured this out, why can’t you?
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
Between DHS at the DMV and TSA’s three-hour lines and missed flights at ORD, maybe Amtrak will finally make a go of it.
– MrJM
- Tim - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:31 pm:
New York already does the same thing. Bouncers there should know the drill.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
This should be fun to watch.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:40 pm:
The state can run background checks for gun purchases in less than 24 hours, but SOS needs 15 days for this?
- DuPage - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:44 pm:
Overall, might be good to send licenses from one secure facility. There have been times in the past where there have been burglaries of some small SOS offices, where license blanks and the camera and machine were stolen.
Where is the money for this coming from?
- L.A. - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:47 pm:
“The state can run background checks for gun purchases in less than 24 hours, but SOS needs 15 days for this?”
+1
- Qui Tam - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:57 pm:
=In addition, the facility employee will return the old DL/ID card back to the applicant after punching a hole in it.=
There is also an “eat if captured” directive printed in soy ink on the paper license.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
How does this compare to other states that are REAL ID compliant?
I’m also wondering about what happens in the 15-20 days before a person receives a new driver’s license from the secure facility. What about those of us who hold driver’s license/ID cards that were issued before this new procedure but don’t expire for several years — will those be accepted for air travel?
I’m glad that there’s progress, but I have questions.
- Chicago_Downstater - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:06 pm:
@ Just Me
Right there with you.
As an IL resident in my mid-20s, I gotta say my first thought was: ‘But can I buy beer with it? And if not, where can I rent riot gear?’
- Downstate - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
So I’ll have to wait 3-4 weeks for my actual drivers license but I can go to Bass Pro and have an item which has the sole purpose of killing things by end of business Friday?
I feel like the one thing Illinois had over other states was a drivers license process that didnt involve weeks of waiting for the DMV to get its act together.
- Checkers - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 4:43 pm:
Glad I got a new license yesterday
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 4:53 pm:
If you want to avoid any problems with the “real id” just get a passport and a passport card. Valid for 10 years. If the feds won’t accept their own id, we are in trouble.
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:07 pm:
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/forms.html
Here is the link to obtain the forms to purchase a passport. You will need a copy of your birth certificate, photos from Walgreens and the proper for filled out. Take to circuit clerk’s office or post office, pay fees and wait by mail box for bright new passport. Very easy process.
- anon - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:17 pm:
Instant issue is inherently less secure than central issue. All Americans have a stake in curbing DL/ID fraud.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:46 pm:
Need it to be allowed for cell phones. This is still so 20th century. Dont need any more paper cards.
- carbaby - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:48 pm:
Indiana has been issuing ID’s this way for several years now. And everything is online(or by phone,mail) to renew licenses and registration. They have made it so you only had to go in to for initial licenses, id’s, registrations etc. It drastically reduced wait times.
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:55 pm:
This is a good step. Illinois is behind the curve on this. I travel a lot for my job, sometimes 5 or six different flights a week. I fortunately have a Passport and other forms of ID beyond my Illinois D/L. I have seen TSA make mistakes on other State ID’s and prefer my backups.
Why does it take longer to get the new D\L than buy a firearm in Illinois? Easy, you already have a FOID Card and have been investigated. You only to resubmit for the background check and wait the required time for the waiting laws here. It took longer to get my FOID than it will to get a new D\L.
- Norm DaPlume - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 8:18 pm:
They haven’t had the money to mail renewal notices for several months and now they are going to start mailing things that they used to hand to you in person? Fantastic.
- scott aster - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 2:52 am:
well what do you expect from a agency that still has green screen apps.
- Eggs in Sammy's - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 7:31 am:
Just in time to start his bid for re-election.