The Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) unveiled a redesigned driver license and identification card today, featuring enhanced security elements aimed at reducing driver license fraud and identity theft. The new credentials, described as among the most secure in the nation, will begin issuance in December 2025. Current cards will remain valid until their expiration dates.
The updated polycarbonate cards feature recognizable Montana landmarks in the background while incorporating advanced security measures, including black and white laser engraved images, multi-color ink, color-shifting elements, ultraviolet designs, and raised tactile features.
The new licenses and IDs will also display up to three icons: a white star within a black circle to indicate REAL ID compliance, a black eagle-in-flight to mark U.S. citizenship, and a black organ donor symbol featuring a heart with a “Y” inside a circle.
“Protecting Montanans’ identity is important, and the new security enhancements strengthen the protection of personal information,” MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said. “Attorney General Austin Knudsen and I are proud to bring Montana’s credentials into a more secure and modern era, as it has been nearly a decade since the last license redesign.”
All Montana licenses and IDs include encoded elements such as one- and two-dimensional barcodes and specialized security backgrounds to further deter fraud and identity theft.
The MVD says the redesign reflects a commitment to keeping Montana’s credentials secure while remaining visually recognizable and user-friendly for residents.