Mt. Sneffels Featured on Colorado’s New License Design

March 2016 – Images of the Rocky Mountains often feature prominently on Colorado documents, and the newly designed driver’s license and identification card is no exception. Mt. Sneffels, one of the state’s “14ers” (peaks over 14,000 feet), dominates the background of the freshly designed cards in fine lines of green and blue. This change, along with a number of others intended to deter illegal replication and identity theft, were recently highlighted as the Colorado Department of Revenue’s (DOR) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) rolled out its updated products. Because the new design uses exceptionally durable polycarbonate, as well as laser engraving techniques that embed the individual’s personal information into the card body, only temporary paper versions will be supplied at the DMV offices, while the laminated, permanent versions will be delivered through the U.S. postal service. Some of the card’s other design elements are listed here:

• Grayscale, laser engraved primary photo, personal data, and document type
• Color-coded state outline demotes card type (green for driver license; red for identification card)
• Raised text provides quick, tactile authenticity check for officials working in low-light conditions
• Under 21 cards have a vertical orientation
• Organ donor designation still supported with a heart graphic and letter “Y”, now laser engraved in grayscale; voluntary Veteran or Military designation also still supported
• Cardholder’s photo appears in semi-transparent window
• Fine-line graphic of state capitol building appears on back of card, as well as a metallic “C” from the state flag, and the logos of the state and DOR
• 2D barcode on back of card protects cardholder’s personal data

All current licenses in the state will remain valid until they expire, and the fees for obtaining new driver licenses and identification cards are not changing at this time. In March 2016, only three DMV locations (Littleton, Aurora, and Frisco) will issue cards with the new design, until the pilot period ends. Licenses and identification cards issued online will also not feature the new design until after the pilot program ends. Read a fact sheet about the new design here: Colorado Driver License Fact Sheet. See a poster about the new design here: Colorado Driver License Poster.