In September 2022, PennDOT began issuing new driver’s licenses and photo ID cards with updated design and security features. The rollout started at the Summerdale Driver License Center in Enola and by mid-November 2022 all driver and photo centers had transitioned to the new product. Both standard and REAL ID-compliant cards will use the new design and security features. The redesign is part of PennDOT’s periodic efforts to combat counterfeiting, fraud and identity theft.
New enhanced security features
- Guilloche Security Design. This is a complex patterning feature that is embedded in the ID using special software.
- Optically Variable Ghost Portrait & Variable Data with UV. The new Pennsylvania ID format includes a ghost portrait and other variable elements that change appearance with viewing angle, plus a UV-fluorescent component visible under UV light.
- Dynamic Look Through Element (DLTE). This is a dynamic feature with a gold metallic tint that is visible when directly illuminated.
- REAL ID Compliant
Is my current Pennsylvania driver’s license still valid?
Yes, your current Pennsylvania driver’s license is still valid until the expiration date on the ID. The new ID format initially began rollout in 2022, but old and new ID formats will be in circulation until your card needs to be renewed, replaced, or updated. So yes, the old Pennsylvania ID format will still be sufficient unless traveling or in situations where a REAL ID is required.
Will ID scanning work on the Pennsylvania driver’s license?
Yes. Both VeriScan and ParseLink will continue being able to read and parse the new Pennsylvania ID format, ensuring business continuity without a lapse in service.
