Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Behold New York's Blah New Driver's License
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 12, 2013
Modified Aug 12, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
DMV
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 12, 2013
Modified Aug 12, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The next time you renew your driver's license in New York State, it will look like a drab, dreary shadow of its former self, just like licenses look down Virginia way. Starting next month, the DMV will be rolling out the new licenses to new drivers and motorists at branch offices. In addition to being depressing, the new licenses are considered to be "tamper proof," according to the Staten Island Advance, which adds:
The new New York driver's licenses are made of rigid polycarbonate and feature laser-engraved black-and-white photos... Everything about the new driver's license is different from the style New Yorkers have grown accustomed to for decades, and it's all done to prevent tampering.
"There are 30 different security features built into the new documents," said Associate DMV Commissioner Jackie McGinnis, the most apparent being the black-and-white photo laser-engraved onto the stiff polycarbonate card. A clear window on the card features a second laser-engraved photo of the driver, which can be seen from both the card's front side and its reverse side.
In a new twist, drivers under 21-years-old will receive a vertical license, intended to help bouncers and liquor stores immediately realize that the individual isn't old enough to buy a keg of beer, no matter freaky red their eyes get. The new designs, which are currently only used in one other state—Virginia—are also supposedly more difficult to "chalk." The laser engraving process "gives the photo a 'grayscale' appearance and offers superior resolution and tonal depth for photo comparison purposes," McGinnis told the Advance.
At press time, it's a gloomy Monday and we're hugging our doomed full-color licenses a little tighter.
Tagged
dmv
new york state
underage drinking
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies
The announcement comes as Mamdani faces mounting criticism from the left for his approach to policing.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Oct 12, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. ET
Company that won $23M NYPD building contract was investigated by LI watchdog
Nassau County's inspector general questioned whether E&A Restoration had the “requisite business integrity” to be responsible for an $85 million contract to build a courthouse in Mineola.
By
Ben Feuerherd
News
Company that won $23M NYPD building contract was investigated by LI watchdog
Nassau County's inspector general questioned whether E&A Restoration had the “requisite business integrity” to be responsible for an $85 million contract to build a courthouse in Mineola.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Plainclothes ICE agent with long gun looked like mass shooter, Mayor Mamdani says
By
Michael Sol Warren
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
By
Giulia Heyward
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
By
Mike Hayes
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .