MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – An updated version of Wisconsin driver licenses and ID cards roll out Monday. While the latest design does not change their overall look, the changes that are there will offer heightened security along with “beautiful, artistic, hard to replicate designs,” the state Dept. of Motor Vehicles explained.
“The first thing you notice is Wisconsin’s cards are even more attractive and the images celebrate the state. But built within the beautiful images and manufacturing process are layers of security features designed to protect card users and businesses who rely on their validity,” DMV Administrator Kristina Boardman said.
The DMV’s statement detailing the changes pointed to the artwork that was designed by hand and make the cards harder to fake. The orange donor dot stays in the lower right corner but increases in size and is now embedded inside a tactile maple leaf. Another feature a person can feel on the cards is what the DMV calls a “flipping effect” that shows the owner’s photo when they are held one way and their name and date of birth from another angle.
A first-in-the-nation security feature sits right below that. A clear ribbon flows off the edge of the cards and is integrated with the owner’s data, the DMV noted. The agency added it was able to accomplish this through an “advanced manufacturing process” and pointed out that Wisconsin is the first state to use it.
“Wisconsin DMV continues to stay on the leading edge of technology by incorporating the next generation of updated security features into our driver licenses and ID cards,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Our residents can be proud of the modernized new cards and also the efforts DMV takes to secure their credentials.”
Drivers who already have a license or ID card do not need to worry about replacing them with the new ones (although they can), according to the DMV. Those cards will remain valid until they expire. The new versions will start going out for people who are renewing, replacing, or getting their licenses or IDs for the first time.
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