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| Q. |
How did the driver’s license become an ID? |
| A. |
Historically, the first driver’s license was issued as a chauffeur’s license. Over time, and as more vehicles populated our evolving highway infrastructure, safety experts saw the value in requiring all individuals to earn the privilege to drive. Those wishing to operate a motor vehicle were then required to pass the vision, skills and knowledge tests to earn the privilege of holding a driver’s license.
Driver’s licenses began to assume their role as the most commonly used form of identification in the U.S. when retailers started to demand proof of identity at the point of sale. Governors and state legislatures recognized this phenomenon when they directed motor vehicle agencies (MVA) to issue ID cards to people who don’t drive.
And today, the American public and corporate America place their faith in MVA practices and depend on the credential as their ID of choice.
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| Q. |
Is the driver’s license becoming a national identification (ID) card? |
| A. |
In countries that do have federal ID programs, the cards are issued by central governments. Citizens are required by law to carry them at all times. They may have to show their card as proof of citizenship at any time or any place.
In North America, states and provinces still have the responsibility for issuing drivers’ licenses. States and provinces, however, are working together to tighten the process in order to enhance national security, protect personal identity and improve highway safety.
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| Q. |
Why are most states and provinces not accepting the matricula consular anymore? |
| A. |
To enhance national security, protect personal identity and improve highway safety, many states and provinces have decided not to accept any foreign consular IDs. Consulates issue these documents, but they do not have reliable systems for ensuring that the person receiving the card is properly identified. And the matricula consular, like other foreign consular IDs, is considered easy to counterfeit.
The FBI believes criminals and potential terrorists can easily use foreign consular ID cards to establish false identities.
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| Q. |
Are these changes targeting the immigrant community? |
| A. |
No. The goal of the changes is to make the licensing process more secure and to ensure that anyone who gets a license is legitimately able to do so.
The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), which represents motor vehicle administrators across North America, has been working closely with the American Immigration Lawyers Association to make certain all individuals who are eligible for a driver’s license receive one.
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| Q. |
When did Motor Vehicle Agencies (MVA) start looking into new licensing rules? |
| A. |
AAMVA and its members have been working to make the driver licensing process more secure for many years. As a result of their extensive research and study, MVAs in the United States and Canada are taking steps to eliminate loopholes in the driver licensing system.
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| Q. |
Why did the MVA choose some forms of ID and not others? |
| A. |
The guiding principal was security. We chose to accept proof of identification that is difficult to counterfeit or obtain illegally. In other words, we want to be sure we only accept documents from reliable sources.
Today, no one document is a totally reliable form of identification. Rather, we’ve moved to verifying data elements, rather than the total card. For example, one document is the most reliable source of a person’s name. Another is best for verifying date of birth. And so on.
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| Q. |
Has anything changed about the tests required to get a license? |
| A. |
No. The written test and the road test have stayed the same.
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