By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) The Illinois Secretary of State says his office is now in a position to begin upgrading drivers licenses in accordance with a federal law.
By the end of July, you won’t walk out of the DMV with a permanent license. Instead you’ll walk out with a temporary one and your old drivers license. Meanwhile, fraud checks will be conducted at what Secretary Jesse White calls a secure centralized facility in the state.
“A higher quality, more secure drivers licence will be printed and mailed within a 15 day period of time,” White said Tuesday.
The upgraded driver’s license will make Illinois closer to compliance with the REAL ID act with a variety of enhanced security features. White says the changes further enhance efforts to protect residents from identity theft.
The biggest change is that Drivers Licenses and State ID’s will be issued from a central office. White says 39 other state have transitioned to centralized issuance.
Fees will remain the same and if you have to fly before you get the enhanced drivers license, the Department of Homeland Security says it will accept the temporary license in conjunction with the old one for ID.
White says it is imperative that applicants ensure their address is updated with the Secretary of State’s office in order to receive the permanent driver’s license or ID card. By law, address changes must be reported within 10 days. Changes can be made in person, online at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com or by phone at 217 782-7044.
