Published: March 16, 2013
Evolution of the New York Driver’s License
Collection of Ross Day
1910
The state began issuing paper licenses with personal data and a photograph on the back. In 1903, the state had been the first to issue any form of motor vehicle operator’s registration, only for chauffeurs, using badges.
Collection of Ross Day
1911
The state changed the color of the license and added a field to include the chauffeur’s company.
Collection of Ross Day
1915
The driver’s personal data were moved to the front of the license, while the photo remained on the back, along with legal terms.
Collection of Ross Day
1918
The first regular driver’s license was offered. It followed the format of the chauffeur’s license but did not have a photo.
Collection of Ross Day
1920
The state changed colors in the regular driver’s licenses.
Collection of Ross Day
1924
Licenses for all drivers were required. The state changed the shape for chauffeur licenses to a square from a rectangle, with the personal data and photo on the front.
Collection of Ross Day
1925
A junior operator’s license was created, allowing people to drive only “to and from school” and during "the usual and ordinary pursuit of the business of the parent."
Collection of Ross Day
1925
The state also issues a formal learner’s permit to 16- and 17-year-olds, allowing them to drive to school or to work, but not in New York City.
Collection of Ross Day
1927
The validation was moved to the front of the license, with a larger call to “report all accidents” on the back.
Collection of Ross Day
1934
The state issued new regulations for the learner's permit, saying the applicant could not drive "one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise" unless accompanied by a guardian.
Collection of Ross Day
1940
With more drivers on the road, the state added a large "Safe Drivers Save Lives" message to the back.
Collection of Ross Day
1941
The state introduced its first three-year license for both chauffeurs and standard operators, adding space on the back to list criminal convictions and a change of address.
Collection of Peter Kanze
1968
For nearly 30 years, the license had remained essentially the same. But in 1968, the system was computerized. The renewal form was included as part of the license.
Collection of Peter Kanze
1976
The renewal form was printed as a separate form.
Collection of Peter Kanze
1984
The state added a color photo and a hologram to the license. It was one of the first major steps in fighting false documentation as the national drinking age was raised to 21.
The New York Times
1992
In a continuing effort to combat forgery, the state added multiple layers of imagery to the license, including a bigger photo, faded lines and a faded imprint of the Statue of Liberty. A magnetic strip with embedded metadata was added to the back.
The New York Times
1996
The state changed the background color to pink, and the licenses are printed on a flimsier, bendable piece of plastic. Scannable bars replaced the magnetic strip.
New York Department of Motor Vehicles
2005
The background color was changed to blue, and the hologram was enhanced. Also, the scannable bars were merged into one.
New York Department of Motor Vehicles
2008
The state began offering an “enhanced driver’s license” with a chip that could hold biographic and biometric data that police officers and border agents could retrieve.
New York Department of Motor Vehicles
2013
The newest licenses, made of polycarbonate materials, are laser engraved, not printed, and feature a pair of black-and-white portraits that help make the licenses more difficult to counterfeit.