State Drivers Licenses in the United States have different designs and aesthetics. We’ll look at each state’s driver’s licenses and how they adapt the new REAL-ID regulation.
Now let’s find out the most beautiful driver’s license in the United States. You decide which card has the best design and drop a comment below. Here is the driver’s license by the state.
Alabama Driver’s License
Alabama State does not have a single website for driver’s license-related issues. So you have to apply to different government bodies for different driver’s license needs. In this state, there are these new STAR ID cards which indeed have the same functions as REAL-ID in California. Anyway, here is how Alabama’s driver’s license look. Don’t forget to rate it.
Alaska Driver’s License
Alaska is one single, a special destination in the United States with breathtaking landscapes. This cold state is considered America’s last frontier. In this state, there is not a dedicated Department of Motor Vehicles website. The Division of Motor Vehicles department is operating under the Department of Administration. Here is how Alaska Driver’s License looks like. This new DL has a star on it that marks that it is compatible with Real-ID requirements.
Arizona Driver’s License
In Arizona, the name of the department that deals with driver’s licenses is Arizona Motor Vehicle Services. It doesn’t have a dedicated website. The Motor Vehicle Services operate under the Arizona Department of Transportation. The design of this card resembles California REAL-ID. The yellow star on the top right corner indicates the REAL-ID feature.
Arkansas Driver’s License
Arkansas does also not have a dedicated website for driver license-related issues. But there is a sub-page under the Arizona.gov website which is https://mydmv.arkansas.gov/. It is called DMV just like in California and here how DL looks like. Arkansas’s REAL-ID compliant Driver’s license has a yellow star on the right top corner of the card just like many other DLs.
What is REAL ID?
Arkansas is taking part in the federal nationwide initiative to improve the security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, which will help fight terrorism and reduce identity fraud. On October 1, 2021, anyone who boards a domestic flight or enters a federal building will either need a REAL ID driver’s license (DL) or Identification Card (ID) or will need to provide a regular identification and additional accepted forms of identification.
Source: Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
California Driver’s License
California is one of the earliest states that enforced REAL-ID requirements. In California, Department of Motor Vehicles has its own department and website. But this doesn’t mean that DMV California is rather faster than other DMV’s in the United States. Anyway, the new California DL is REAL-ID complaint. There are some minor differences in the new design as you can see below.
Colorado Driver’s License
Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV for short) is operating under the Colorado Department of Revenue. It doesn’t have a particular website. But you can apply for DL by using the https://dmv.colorado.gov/ web address. Design-wise it doesn’t look the best but it has a REAL-ID star on it.
Connecticut Driver’s License
Like most states, Connecticut also doesn’t have a single website for DMV. The website is operating under the state’s main website. But the good thing you can do many things online like renewing your license etc. If you want detailed information about the new REAL-ID regulation, just download this PDF from the state’s official website. You can see the differences between regular DL and REAL-ID on below.
Delaware Driver’s License
As you can see, state drivers licenses pictures are somehow similar but keep reading. There are really very interesting state driver’s licenses that you won’t believe to exist.
Florida Driver’s License
When we look at the pictures of drivers licenses by state, you’ll notice the star on the right or left top the cards. This is the REAL-ID version of the driver licenses. Most state just put a star to differentiate regular cards from REAL-ID ones. Of course, no one will wear a mask while taking DL photo. This fake photo below just shows how COVID changed our life.
Georgia Driver’s License
Hawaii Driver’s License
Idaho Driver’s License
Illinois Driver’s License
Indiana Driver’s License
Iowa Driver’s License
Kansas Driver’s License
Kentucky Driver’s License
Louisiana Driver’s License
Maine Driver’s License
Maryland Driver’s License
Massachusetts Driver’s License
Michigan Driver’s License
Minnesota Driver’s License
Mississippi Driver’s License
Missouri Driver’s License
Montana Driver’s License
Nebraska Driver’s License
Nevada Driver’s License
New Hampshire Driver’s License
New Jersey Driver’s License
New Mexico Driver’s License
New York Driver’s License
North Carolina Driver’s License
North Dakota Driver’s License
Ohio Driver’s License
Oklahoma Driver’s License
Oregon Driver’s License
Pennsylvania Driver’s License
Rhode Island Driver’s License
South Carolina Driver’s License
South Dakota Driver’s License
Tennessee Driver’s License
Texas Driver’s License
Utah Driver’s License
Vermont Driver’s License
Virginia Driver’s License
Washington Driver’s License
West Virginia Driver’s License
Wisconsin Driver’s License
Wyoming Driver’s License
Washington D.C. Driver’s License
…and Bonus:
Puerto Rico Driver’s License
If you read thus far, you should have decided which state driver’s license design is the most beautiful one.
In the United States, each state has its own driver’s license. You may think that there are 50 different driver’s licenses in the US. But some territories and also special districts like Washington D.C. can issue their own driver’s license.
While the US has a federal governing system, there is not a central driver’s license issue system. So in each state, you have to apply for driver’s license. This means that if you move from a state to another, you have to apply for a new license.
You can check these links to access each DMV websites in the United States:
