New Arizona driver license design beginning March 2023.
The Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division rolled out a new driver’s license design this month. The new change reinforces identity security as well as durability, while drivers continue to apply for the federally mandated travel ID.
Made up of 100% polycarbonate materials, the new and slightly heavier Arizona driver’s license includes dynaprint technology to help combat fraud and laser engraved imagery that will include a saguaro cactus that shifts into a ponderosa pine tree upon closer inspection. The dreaded driver’s license photos will also be black and white to make the document harder to peel or manipulate.
MVD spokesperson, Bill Lamoreaux says that about 2 million Arizona drivers have already registered for the REAL ID or Arizona Travel ID. The federal government pushed back the deadline for the required travel document to May 7, 2025, which means that the only identification that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will accept for travel will be the Arizona Travel ID, U.S. passport, or other federally approved identification.
Drivers who are interested in upgrading their licenses can opt to include a Travel ID “star” on their new cards.
“If you update to the new Travel ID, the federal requirement is that it expires every eight years,” Lamoreaux said. “While your standard Arizona (ID) may not expire for 20 years or more, the photo does need to be updated every 12 years.”
The standard Arizona driver’s license also expires at the age of 65, which requires cardholders to visit their local MVD for a vision check and updated photo.
Lamoreaux also said that Arizona drivers do not have to get a new license if their current one is still valid.
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