DMV announces new design for Hawai'i driver's licenses and ID cards
LĪHU‘E – The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announces new design for all Hawai‘i driver’s licenses and identification cards.
The redesigned cards incorporate advanced security measures to help protect against identity theft, fraud, and counterfeiting. New features include laser-engraved black-and-white photographs and personal information, making the cards significantly more difficult to alter or duplicate.
Additional fraud prevention features include tamper-resistant background patterns and raised tactile text that can be felt by running a finger across the card, providing another layer of security.
"Protecting our residents from identity theft and fraud is a responsibility we take seriously," said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. "These enhanced security features represent an important investment in public safety by making Hawaiʻi's driver's licenses and state identification cards more secure, more difficult to counterfeit, and better equipped to protect the personal information of everyone who carries them."
The new design is the first update to Hawaiʻi's driver's licenses and state identification cards since 2009, when the current cards were introduced. The redesign will be used for all 15 types of driver's licenses and state identification cards issued statewide.
The updated design also celebrates Hawaiʻi's unique identity. Familiar elements from the current cards, including the iconic rainbow, the Hawaiian island chain, and the Hawaiʻi state flag, have been incorporated into the new design. The back of the card features the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, the state fish, along with a coral reef representing the beauty and diversity of Hawaiʻi's marine ecosystem.
The artwork serves more than an aesthetic purpose. Intricate design elements, including some that are not visible to the naked eye, are among more than 50 security features incorporated into the cards to help prevent and detect fraud.
The new cards will begin production in 2026. Existing driver's licenses and state identification cards will remain valid until their expiration dates.
Customers whose cards expire within six months may renew and receive the new design by scheduling an appointment through the DMV website.
To view a short video about the new design, view the New Hawai‘i Driver’s License Card video.
For additional information or questions about the DMV or to book an appointment, please visit www.kauai.gov/DMV.
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