'Best ID Card:' Wisconsin license earns international recognition
Sample Wisconsin drivers license ID card (Courtesy: WisDOT)
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin has the "Best ID Card," according to an international association of the global card manufacturing industry, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced on Friday.
Wisconsin’s REAL ID over 21 driver license received the Élan Award of Excellence from the International Card Manufacturers Association, WisDOT said. WisDOT said Wisconsin was the first state to use a unique security element found on the cards.
Officials said the Wisconsin DMV worked with CBN Secure Technologies Inc. to design and integrate the updated security features with new, custom design elements. Beyond the artistry of the card, the manufacturing process also delivers a card with enhanced security, counterfeit resistance and easier authentication.
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"We’re grateful to receive this international award recognizing the outstanding work our Wisconsin DMV team and partner CBN Secure Technologies Inc. did to integrate advanced security features with beautiful imagery from our state," DMV Administrator Tommy Winkler said in a statement. "Wisconsin residents should be proud of these highly secure cards that deliver a superior user experience."
The Wisconsin DMV debuted the design on driver's licenses and ID cards in June 2023. The new cards offer distinctive artistic features, including hand-crafted artwork of key Wisconsin symbols. As for the security feature, WisDOT said an exclusive transparent window integrates cardholder data.