6/15/2011
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
REMINDER: Southwest Idaho driver's license offices prepare for new system; half-day closures scheduled starting June 21
BOISE - Idaho driver's licenses and identification (ID) cards have a new look, state-of-the-art security features, and a new way of being issued beginning this summer.
To prepare for the transition, county licensing offices in southwest Idaho will close for half-day increments during late June for staff training, equipment upgrades and installation. For offices in southwest Idaho, the closure schedule will be:
June 21: Canyon County office, Caldwell
June 22: Valley County office, Cascade
June 23: Valley County office, McCall
June 24: Adams County office, Council
June 27: Elmore County office, Mountain Home and Washington County office, Weiser
June 28: Owyhee County office, Grand View and Gem County office, Emmett
June 29: Owyhee County office, Murphy and Boise County office, Horseshoe Bend
June 30: Owyhee County office, Marsing and Boise County office, Idaho City
Schedules are subject to change. Some offices are also in the process of remodeling, and may be closed on additional dates. Customers are advised to check with individual county offices to confirm daily schedules.
The updated system will help protect drivers and ID card holders from identity theft and fraud by incorporating security features that are nearly impossible to counterfeit. The switch also means cards will be issued from a central secure location instead of over-the-counter.
With this new central issuance process, applicants leave the county office with a temporary paper document, valid for 30 days. The new plastic license or ID card is produced at the central production facility and mailed to the customer within about 10 business days. Because it is mailed, it will be critical for applicants to provide a correct address.
The temporary card is issued for driving and identity purposes until the new plastic card arrives in the mail. It includes a photo, the same information that appears on the plastic card (name, address, date of birth, height, weight, etc.), and a machine-readable bar code containing that information.
Current Idaho licenses or ID cards remain valid through their expiration date; however, individuals can opt to renew a license or ID card within one year of the expiration date.
There's no additional cost to the consumer. License and ID card fees remain the same:
- $30 for a four-year license or $55 for an eight-year license (if it's within a year of expiration
- $15 for duplicate licenses
- $10 or $20 for ID cards
Individuals with valid licenses or ID cards that are not within the one-year renewal window have the option of surrendering the card and applying for a duplicate card,
All other license and ID card application processes will remain basically unchanged. Fees for all driver’s licenses and ID cards will also remain the same.
"The central issuance system is an established process that has proven successful and secure," says Alan Frew, DMV Division Administrator. "This is proven technology shown to improve the security of the license, the data behind it, and the security of local DMV offices."
Neighboring states including Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are among those that issue driver license and identification cards from a central location.
The new cards incorporate numerous security features, including micro-printing, ghost images and a laser-perforated pattern that reveals the shape of Idaho when held to the light. Not all security features are evident, and the enhanced security features make it obvious when a card has been tampered with.
A web video is available on the ITD web site at http://itd.idaho.gov/in_motion/default.htm.
More information is also available at http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/centralissuance.htm. Or, contact ITD's Driver Services at (208) 334-8000 or driverlicense@itd.idaho.gov.