New Colorado Driver’s License Design
In April 2016, Colorado DMV began issuing a new design for the driver’s license, instruction permit, and identification card.
A pilot program was completed in March in Littleton, Aurora, and Frisco.
The fee for the new card will not change. Valid driver licenses, instruction permits and identification cards with the old design can be used until their expiration date.
The card design includes an entirely new format and enhanced security and safety features, including laser-engraved information in grayscale, as well as new card material.
Front Side Features
On the front side, the background image features Mount Sneffels, 14,158 feet, in the San Juan Mountain Range, in southwest Colorado, between Ouray and Telluride, It is the 27th tallest mountain in the state.
It uses blue, yellow and green coloring. A large “COLORADO” is across the top of the card, with “USA” and the Colorado border in the color that corresponds to the card type:
Green for a Driver’s License and Instruction Permit, or Red for an Identification Card.
The layout of the design corresponds to card holder’s age:
Horizontal layout for an Adult or vertical layout for a Minor (under 21 years of age).
The individual photo, in a semitransparent window, is in black and white, with the document type, name, date of birth, and other information laser engraved in grayscale. Raised print is used for specific individual and license information.
A star on top right indicates REAL ID compliance. This allows the card to be used to enter federal buildings and for air travel. For more information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), see REAL ID Act.
An organ donor election is designated by a heart symbol in grayscale with Y in the middle.
Military veterans may choose to have military or Veteran on their card, laser engraved in black.
Back Side Features
On the back side is a primary image of the Colorado State Capital building, with a snowflake-like design, in blue and green coloring.
Standard and 2D bar codes are used. There is a metallic “C” from the Colorado state flag and the logos for the State of Colorado and Department of Revenue.
Temporary Card
Persons obtaining a newly-designed card in an office will receive an updated temporary paper document with an image that resembles the card in a removable section. The foldable temporary document will be valid for 30 days to allow for the physical card to be produced and mailed.
Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (CO-RCSA SB13-251)
Senate Bill 13-251, the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (CO-RCSA SB13-251), authorizes the issuance of a Colorado driver license, instruction permit or identification card to individuals who either cannot demonstrate lawful presence in the U.S. or can only demonstrate temporary lawful presence in the U.S.
Individuals issued driver licenses, identification cards and instruction permits under CO-RCSA will receive a similar design. The card will contain a black box above the photo stating “Not Valid For Federal Identification, Voting or Public Benefit Purposes”. The card will not have a star indicating REAL ID compliance.
For more information, see Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles.
Visit our website for Colorado Springs Mobile Notary services or Colorado Notary Training classes.
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Hi Jerry,
My name is Philip Orr and work for a company called DeepLabs based in San Francisco. We deal mainly with verification of security identities and have been turning our attention to driving licenses as a means for ID checks. The information you have provided for the Colorado state is very useful and helps us in detecting certain fraudulent licenses that are used as IDs.
Would you happen to know anyone within the DMV community that we could call upon in order to get more information similar to what you have already provided in your posts. We are interested in license layouts, fonts used, colors used, valid from and to dates, i.e. having a license that has a valid from date of Feb 8th 2013 and shows a gold star, knowing that that design was only valid from July 1st 2013.
Any information on contacts would be very helpful.
Thank you in advance and keep up the great work here.
Philip
Philip. if you suspect a fraudulent Colorado ID, I suggest contacting the Colorado DMV in Denver. If you see a new design before the release date, it may be from a test market before the design was released statewide.
There are restricted reference books available to law enforcement and notaries showing the designs of IDs for all states.
Great information,
Thanks
1plus1mobilenotary
Thanks for your comment. I am starting to see this new driver’s license design from customers. I think a color photo would be more useful to notaries than a greyscale photo.