Changes in Oregon DL/ID Issuance
Several changes are under way in the Oregon driver license and ID card issuance area: the legal presence requirement, Social Security number verification, facial recognition, and the Real ID Act. Oregon's Driver and Motor Vehicles Division (DMV) has a chart available for download on their Web site that summarizes the backgrounds of these changes and proposed changes, as well as the major requirements of each. As of July 1, 2008, all applicants for Oregon driver licenses, instruction permits and ID (DL/ID) cards will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status in the United States. This change is a result of Senate Bill 1080 passed by the 2008 Legislature. Since Feb. 4, 2008, all applicants for Oregon DL/IDs are required provide a verifiable Social Security number and at least one other acceptable proof of identification and date of birth. This rule change is a result of a Nov. 16, 2007, executive order by the governor. Also as of July 1, 2008, Oregon DMV will begin to use "facial recognition" software, a new tool in the prevention of fraud. The Real ID Act is federal legislation, passed by Congress in 2005, that creates nationwide standards for the issuance of DL/IDs. In the future, cards from states that do not comply with the act will not be accepted for federal identification purposes, such as boarding an airplane. Oregon has not made a decision whether to comply with the act, but Oregon DMV requested and received an extension of the May 2008 deadline from the Department of Homeland Security. The extended deadline is Dec. 31, 2009. Since the federal government finalized rules for the act on Jan. 10, 2008, Oregonians and their lawmakers can study the rules and make a decision about whether and how Oregon will comply. Visit Oregon's Division of Driver and Motor Vehicles Web site for more information.
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