Digital Driver’s
License County Implementation Schedule
Gov. Mike Johanns has announced that early next spring, Nebraska will issue digitally produced driver licenses and identification cards to its citizens.
New card production will begin with a pilot project in Lancaster and
Seward counties in February 2003. Statewide implementation of the new
system is scheduled to take approximately three months with all counties
producing the new cards by the end of May 2003.
“We are very excited about the upcoming changes,” Gov. Mike Johanns said. “With the introduction of the digital driver license system, Nebraska will have one of the most secure cards in the nation. I’m also very pleased that the Department of Motor Vehicles will be bringing the new system up 16 months ahead of the deadline.”
The advantages of the new system include increased fraud protection, added security features, machine-readable technology and increased readability. The new cards have several security features that include a ghost photo image imprinted over vital information to minimize alterations, a tamper resistant coating placed over the card and machine readable technology via a barcode printed on the back of the card. The tamper resistant coating contains an optically variable image of the state seal that changes color as the license is tilted.
The new license will have a dramatically different look and feel. Driver licenses and identification cards of adults will be printed in a horizontal format. Licenses held by minors will be printed vertically and will include cardholder specific items such as, “Under 21 until xx/xx/xx” and Under 18 until xx/xx/xx”. The background of the new driver license contains an image of the Nebraska State Capitol on both the adult and minor license designs. The new identification card design contains a background image of the Sower and the State Seal.
A panel utilizing input from representatives of the DMV, law enforcement, retailers, restaurant owners, advocacy groups and the general public designed the features used in the new driver license. Consideration was given to aesthetics and usability of the card. Increased readability, improved methods of identifying minors and card security were the most frequently requested design changes.
With the introduction of the Digital Driver License System, the Nebraska DMV will now be able to maintain an electronic copy of a cardholder’s photograph. This represents advancement in the State of Nebraska’s ability to combat identity theft by allowing issuing personnel to verify photographs stored in the system with the applicants presenting themselves for new documents.
Director of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Beverly Neth said, “Nebraska has taken great care in guarding our citizen’s private information. While the system does provide an additional way for the Department of Motor Vehicles and law enforcement to access a driver’s information, it has also been designed to secure that information against inappropriate uses.”
Identification Card
“Nebraska statutes contain provisions that protect against misuse of the demographic information stored in the barcode on the back of the card. It is a felony for non-authorized users to compile or store the information contained in the barcode. There are also very strict provisions for DMV personnel regarding the handling of the information.”
The new Digital Driver’s License system also sets the stage for additional technological advances for the State of Nebraska. In the near future, citizens can expect to be able to renew driver licenses and identification cards on-line, and law enforcement will be able to issue citations and file accident reports electronically.
Get a closer look at the new Digital Drivers License:
