Montana’s Motor Vehicle Division Thursday sent a news release announcing the new design for state IDs and drivers’ licenses. It’s the first overhaul since 2016.
Administrator Laurie Bakri says IDs will be made out of polycarbonate, a hardy plastic, and include twice as many elements to help rule out fraud, like details only visible at certain angles.
“If you throw it on a table, you’ll hear kind of a little ping, so the material is different,” said Bakri. “We’ve got some multicolored ink and some color shifting elements.”
One new feature is a marker of U.S. citizenship, the result of new law state legislators passed this year.
Both citizens and noncitizens qualify for IDs and driver’s licenses in Montana with proper documentation. Going forward, U.S. citizens will get a little black eagle added to their state IDs, while non-citizens will not.
The symbol does not replace REAL ID, which will also be on new licenses compliant with the program. The star symbol is part of new federal security measures that went into effect nationwide in May. To fly, state residents must either present a card with a verified REAL ID symbol or another identifying document, like a passport. The state encourages residents to get a REAL ID to prevent delays.
Other details include symbols that the holder is a veteran or an organ donor.
The state is introducing the new design this month, featuring images like Lake MacDonald in Glacier National Park, the Bitterroot and the statue at the top of the capitol. Existing IDs are valid through their expiration date.
