Advocacy News – April 9, 2024
In January, the Michigan Department of State (SOS) began issuing redesigned Michigan driver’s licenses and state IDs. All existing cards are expected to be phased out by January 2029. The change impacts commercial, chauffeur’s, graduated, moped and salvage vehicle agent licenses.
Why it matters: All Michigan residents will be issued the new design when they apply for, renew, replace, or correct their license or ID. The new cards, which bring the state in alignment with national best practices, include engraved data and numerous other new security features intended to reduce the risk of counterfeiting and fraud.
- As part of the redesign, the magnetic stripe on the back of these new cards has been removed and updates were made to the configuration of the barcodes that contain the information from the front of the card.
- Businesses may need to take steps to conform to the new format, including recalibrating scanners.
Go deeper: To learn more about these features, please see the state’s one-page summary document. Anyone wishing to confirm that an ID presented is genuine should visit the SOS website at Michigan.gov/SOS, where a card with the new design is prominently featured. Questions regarding the redesigned cards and changes to the barcode configurations can be sent to the SOS at MDOS-OPI@Michigan.gov.