CHARLESTON, W.Va.-West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles’ Commissioner Joe Miller is pleased to announce the first step in an enhanced driver’s licensing system was made this week at the agency’s Kanawha City Regional Office. Customers coming to the DMV will see a new look to West Virginia driver’s licenses and identification cards. Marquis ID Systems, a vendor out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was awarded the bid to develop and apply this system. Full implementation in all 23 Regional Offices should be completed by July 28, 2011.
The new driver’s licenses and identification cards not only have a different look, but also feature top of the line enhanced security, such as built in micro-printing not visible to the naked eye, and giving the customer an opportunity to review their information to be displayed on the license or card before a photo is ever taken.
According to Commissioner Miller, “DMV is focusing on enhancing the security of our driver’s licensing and identification card system to be certain that every record matches. We want to make sure that you are who you say you are, with the focus being on safety and security for all citizens. Additionally, this brings us one step closer to being compliant with the REAL ID Act of 2005. Our system is now ready to be in full compliance, pending upgrades to federal verification systems.”
Customers at the Kanawha City Office expressed positive feedback on the new system. Savannah Ervin, a DMV customer from Sissonville, was in the Regional Office to get her driver’s license renewed. Ervin said, “I like the look of the new driver’s licenses, and even with a new system in place, it only took 20 minutes for me to get my license.” Janis Brown, a customer from Charleston, also felt her experience was a good one, and liked being able to review all her information before her driver’s license was issued.
Mark Steigmeyer, President of Marquis ID Systems, was on-hand this week to train Regional Office staff on the new system. Steigmeyer and his staff have worked tirelessly the last several days to make sure the new system launch would go off successfully.
Click here to see the NEW licenses.
For more information, please contact the WV DMV at 1-800-642-9066.