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  • Identification Security

  • The importance of secure identification credentials was brought to the forefront of national security by the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. The AAMVA community responded to this tragedy and understands its ongoing responsibility and obligation to further improve public safety and national security in North America.
     
    AAMVA determined the need for a comprehensive framework of minimum requirements with enhanced recommendations to improve the quality, reliability, uniformity and security of the driver licensing process in North America. As a result, AAMVA compiled and produced its DL/ID Security Framework: A Package of Decisions Based on Best Practices, Standards, Specifications and Recommendations to Enhance Driver’s License Administration and Identification Security.

    Current Use of Machine-Readable Technologies

    AAMVA tracks what technologies jurisdictions employ on their driver's license and identification card documents. We hope to include information on machine-readable technologies employed on other DMV documentation in the future, such as titles, registrations, and cab cards. If information in this table is out of date for your jurisdiction, please notify Geoff Slagle, Director of Identification Standards.

    Although jurisdictions support the AAMVA DL/ID standard, AAMVA cannot indicate whether, or to what degree, any of the jurisdictions are encoding to the standard. All jurisdictions are encouraged to take advantage of AAMVA's free Courtesy Verification Program to determine if their encoding meets the AAMVA standard and what changes need to be made to bring their documents into compliance.

    DL/ID Technologies:

    • Biometric Technology 
    • Smart Cards   
    • Canadian License Technology   
    • U.S. License Technology
           

    Contact: Geoff Slagle, Director, Identity Management, (703) 342-7459

    Learn More

    REAL ID is a federal law (P.L. 109-13) enacted in 2005 as Division B of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief Act. REAL ID sets minimum standards for the creation and issuance of state-issued identification documents by motor vehicle agencies. The Act specifies benchmarks that must be met by the compliance deadline of January 2013 if a state wishes to use its state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards for “federal purposes” such as boarding an aircraft and entering federal buildings.

    Far before the consideration and enactment of REAL ID as federal law, AAMVA determined the need for a comprehensive framework of minimum requirements with enhanced recommendations to improve the quality, reliability, uniformity and security of the driver licensing process in North America. As a result, AAMVA compiled and produced its DL/ID Security Framework: A Package of Decisions Based on Best Practices, Standards, Specifications and Recommendations to Enhance Driver’s License Administration and Identification Security.  

    Purpose and Authority

    A working group of motor vehicle authorities from around North America has been formed to review and leverage existing identity credential standards and recommend standards for the AAMVA membership relating to the emergence and rising popularity of electronic identity. The focus of the working group is to define, describe, and deploy (and/or enable deployment of) solutions and standards that yield a high level of identity assurance for online transactions in intra- and inter-state/province scenarios.

    For more information about this working group, contact Geoff Slagle, (703) 342-7459.

     

    NSTIC: Enhancing Online Identity Security

    In September 2012, AAMVA was selected to lead a consortium of private industry and governmental partners to implement and pilot the Cross Sector Digital Identity Initiative (CSDII). Funding for this pilot comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) Grant Program.

    The goal of CSDII is to produce a secure online identity ecosystem that will lead to safer transactions by enhancing privacy and reducing the risk of fraud in online commerce. To satisfy this goal, the CSDII team will develop and pilot key capabilities in a custom identity ecosystem that will be governed by an encompassing framework. As the framework evolves, the CSDII capabilities will build on each other culminating with the utilization of an enhanced user credential that satisfies the required level of assurance.

    Background

    The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) is a proposal by the Obama administration to create secure online identities for Americans in cyberspace. Cybercrime is growing and becoming more organized and sophisticated. As the availability of high-value online transactions such as mortgage applications, buying stocks or reviewing health care information increases, so does our vulnerability to theft, fraud and privacy violations.

    The technologies exist now to make online transactions more secure, private, and more convenient. NSTIC offers a vision of the future where the private sector, civil societies, and the public sector collaborate to create the standards and policies needed for interoperable trusted credentials that would dramatically reduce ID theft and fraud online.

    Partners

    In addition to AAMVA, the CSDII pilot participants include the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Biometric Signature ID, CA Technologies, and Microsoft.

    More Information

    NSTIC Web site
    FAQs (on NSTIC Web site)
    AAMVA Press Release


     

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