New driver’s licenses will be more secure, cost 75 cents more

CARSON CITY -- A new, more counterfeit-proof driver's license will soon be required for Nevada motorists at a slightly higher cost, state officials were told Tuesday.

The new license, which will have numerous devices designed to deter fakes, is being readied for use beginning in September, said Ginny Lewis, director of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

A contract worth about $29 million over the next several years to produce the new drivers licenses was approved Tuesday by the Board of Examiners.

It will mean a small price hike to motorists, who pay $2.25 now for the actual cost of producing the license card. The actual cost for the more tamper-proof card will be $3, bringing the total cost of a new license to $22 for those under age 65, and to $17 for those age 65 and older.

Lewis said 75 cents is a small price to pay for increased security against identity theft and fraud. The new licenses will be produced at a remote, secure location, so drivers will no longer get a license when they go to a DMV office, she said. Instead they will get a temporary permit good for 30 days, and the license will arrive later.

The new license also will allow the state to check the photos of those applying against state databases of individuals who might be sought by law enforcement, Lewis said.

As all states move to the new license, the photo check will expand to include the databases of other states as well, she said.