PHOENIX – Coming soon to your wallet or handbag: a newly designed Arizona driver license – and a new process to get it.

Beginning June 16, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is expanding central credential issuance to all offices statewide, meaning that customers visiting a Motor Vehicle Division office to obtain a new driver license or identification card will leave with a temporary credential. The permanent license or identification card will be mailed to the customer, and received within 15 days.

Coupled with that, ADOT is launching a new, high-security credential format. Both changes are designed to protect against identity theft.

“As part of the new central credential issuance process, a redesigned driver license and identification card is being introduced,” said Stacey Stanton, director of ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division. “The redesigned credential contains enhanced security features to safeguard personal information and help prevent identity theft. The complexity of the new credential, and the security features and processes in place, don’t make it feasible to produce the permanent credential in offices for same-day issuance.”

Even with the new license design, there is no need to rush out to an office. A current driver license or identification card will still be valid until its expiration date – or at least until the 12-year mark when the photo needs to be refreshed. The price of a duplicate credential remains unchanged at $12 for many customers.

Customers at ADOT Motor Vehicle Division offices will no longer immediately be issued a new permanent driver license or identification card at the end of the application process. The credential will instead be mailed to the address on the resident’s application. It is important to ensure the correct mailing address has been provided in order to receive the credential.

“With the new central issuance process it is critical that customers keep their address updated with MVD,” Stanton said. State law requires that residents notify the Motor Vehicle Division of an address change within 10 days, although the purchase of a new credential isn’t required. Address changes can be made online at ServiceArizona.com.

This process has already been in place in 14 of ADOT’s offices in communities in Greater Arizona and in the Authorized Third Party offices that process driver licenses. This change will expand it to all offices statewide.

The temporary driver license or identification card will contain a photo and the basic information that appears on the actual credential. As in other states that have moved to this process, the decision to accept the temporary credential as proof of identity exists solely with the organization requesting to see the license or identification card.

The process of central credential issuance is used by most states around the country and is a growing trend as states transition to higher-security credentials.

For at least 12 years, there will be more than one valid Arizona credential format.

Security features of this new credential include:

• A larger primary portrait with a smaller redundant ghost portrait ensuring customer appearance is clearly reflected.
• A high-security design comprised of unique Arizona geological features in the background created by using many different patterns, lines and images. This provides the overall look of the credential.
• A laser perforation in the shape of Arizona, which when held up to the light is used to quickly authenticate the credential.
• Tactile date of birth field to assist in authenticating the credential using the sense of touch. The date in this field will have a raised feel to it.
• Tri-color Optically Variable Device consisting of the state outline, the state name “Arizona,” the state seal, a saguaro cactus and a star. This laminate overlay provides the final layer of the credential and provides one more feature for authentication.
• The ringtail, the state mammal, illustrated on the front of the new credential.

PHOENIX – Arizona residents will soon have more options for obtaining a driver license or identification card. The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is increasing the number of Authorized Third Party providers able to process driver license transactions.

Four existing businesses are scheduled to expand their operations by mid-June. Beginning April 28, Third Party MVS Services, Inc., located in Mesa, will offer driver license services. Other businesses set to add driver license services are Montes Multiple Services LLC, located in Yuma, on May 12; GG & D Financial & Check Cashing LLC, at their west Phoenix location, on May 27; and Ginger’s Title & Auto, located in Sierra Vista, on June 9. Additional Authorized Third Party businesses are expected to offer driver license services during the remainder of 2014 and beyond.

The Authorized Third Party businesses will be able to complete identification card and all phases of driver license application processing for Class D and G operator licenses, including conducting the knowledge and road skills examinations.

Authorized Third Party service providers have been successfully processing primarily title and registration transactions for more than 20 years with a limited few also conducting driver license services. As Arizona continues to grow, the expansion in the driver license program will give customers more options in carrying out this important transaction. The growth in the program was made possible by the passing of House Bill 2183 in the 2013 Arizona legislative session. This expansion means seven Authorized Third Party offices around the state now offer driver license services.

“Authorized Third Party businesses are private companies that contract with ADOT to conduct motor vehicle services, providing customers with options and expanded service opportunities. The program has grown over the years and there are now 147 locations statewide,” said Stacey Stanton, director of ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division. “ADOT oversees the businesses to ensure that stringent operational requirements are being followed and the Motor Vehicle Division provides Authorized Third Party employees with extensive training to assure proficiency is demonstrated by the businesses. Customers can feel confident using Authorized Third Party offices.”

Prior to the current program expansion, there were three Authorized Third Party offices that processed driver licenses: Academy of Driving Motor Vehicle Center, located in Tucson; Western Motor Vehicle, located in Phoenix; and MVP (Motor Vehicle Processing), located in Willcox.

In order to qualify to provide driver license processing, an Authorized Third Party must meet the requirements specified in Arizona law.

“GG & D Financial is looking forward to continuing its partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division to offer this expanded service,” said Director of Operations Ron Neagle. “We believe that both new and existing customers will greatly appreciate the convenience of driver license services being available at the same locations as the existing title and registration services.”

PHOENIX – A revised Arizona Department of Transportation policy to restrict the issuance of driver licenses and identification cards to certain holders of deferred action immigration documents does not have a harmful effect on immigrants who are crime victims or refugees.

Arizona law prohibits ADOT from issuing a driver license to applicants who cannot establish that their presence is authorized under federal law. Through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and litigation pending in federal district court, ADOT became aware that Employment Authorization Cards, which are assigned specific category codes, were used to obtain Arizona driver licenses by certain individuals who do not have authorized presence under federal law. This prompted ADOT to review and update its list of accepted identification documents to ensure that the forms of identification accepted provide proof of lawful presence and are consistent with state statute and federal law.

The policy revision not to accept certain Employment Authorization Cards that are granted to recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, deferred action or deferred enforced deportation, will have little, if any, impact on sex trafficking victims, domestic violence victims or refugees from war zones. The U.S. Congress has addressed these circumstances and has provided specific remedies in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Persons eligible for these forms of relief provided pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act are also eligible for Employment Authorization Cards with category codes that ADOT will continue to accept as primary form of identification for obtaining a driver license.

For sex trafficking victims, these Employment Authorization Card codes are accepted by ADOT:

• T Visa (A16), U Visa (A19), Temporary Protected Status (A12), Adjustment of Status (C9) and Parole (C11)

For domestic violence victims, these Employment Authorization Card codes are accepted by ADOT:

• Relief pursuant to the Violence Against Women Act (available to men and women) (C31), Temporary Protected Status (A12), Adjustment of Status (C9) and Parole (C11)

For refugees, these Employment Authorization Card codes are accepted by ADOT:

• Refugee (A3), Asylee (A5), Asylum (C8), Temporary Protected Status (A12), Adjustment of Status (C9) and Parole (C11)

Those immigrants must apply through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to obtain an Employment Authorization Card with a category code that is accepted.

Deferred action is simply the decision not to enforce immigrations laws. When an individual is granted relief under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, deferred action or deferred enforced departure, that individual remains subject to removal proceedings pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. An individual granted one of these forms of relief therefore does not have authorized presence under federal law. The federal executive branch has simply decided not to enforce federal immigration law with respect to that individual and to defer the removal of that individual for a period of time.

The purported 40,000 figure referenced in media reports encompasses all issuances and renewals using all forms of Employment Authorization Cards during an eight-year time period. Most of these forms of Employment Authorization Cards remain acceptable as a primary form of identification. Those cards with the categories A11 (Deferred Enforced Departure), C14 (Deferred Action) and C33 (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) are just a subset of the several forms of Employment Authorization Cards; it is only these three categories of Employment Authorization Cards that ADOT will no longer accept as a primary form of identification for purposes of demonstrating lawful presence.

Having recognized that Employment Authorization Cards with the A11, C14 and C33 category codes do not demonstrate authorized presence under federal law, ADOT has determined that the proper course in order to comply with Arizona law is to revise its policy so that these Employment Authorization Cards are no longer accepted. If ADOT continued to accept these Employment Authorization Cards, it could subject ADOT to additional lawsuits aimed at attempting to force ADOT to issue licenses to others who are ineligible under Arizona law.