SF 865

as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 02/10/2025 05:46pm

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; modifying design of certain drivers' licenses and
identification cards; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.07,
subdivisions 1, 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

License; contents and design.

(a) Upon the payment of the required fee,
the department shall issue to every qualifying applicant a license designating the type or
class of vehicles the applicant is authorized to drive as applied for. This license must bear:
(1) a distinguishing number assigned to the licensee; (2) the licensee's full name and date
of birth; (3) either (i) the licensee's residence address, or (ii) the designated address under
section 5B.05; (4) a description of the licensee in a manner as the commissioner deems
necessary; (5) the usual signature of the licensee; and (6) designations and markings as
provided in this section. No license is valid unless it bears the usual signature of the licensee.
Every license must bear a colored photograph or an electronically produced image of the
licensee.

(b) If the United States Postal Service will not deliver mail to the applicant's residence
address as listed on the license, then the applicant shall provide verification from the United
States Postal Service that mail will not be delivered to the applicant's residence address and
that mail will be delivered to a specified alternate mailing address. When an applicant
provides an alternate mailing address under this subdivision, the commissioner shall use
the alternate mailing address in lieu of the applicant's residence address for all notices and
mailings to the applicant.

(c) Every license issued to an applicant under the age of 21 must be of a distinguishing
color and plainly marked "Under-21."

(d) A license issued to an applicant age 65 or over must be plainly marked "senior" if
requested by the applicant.

(e) Except for a noncompliant license, a license must bear a distinguishing indicator for
compliance with requirements of the REAL ID Act.

(f) A noncompliant license must:

(1) be marked "not for federal identification" on the face and in the machine-readable
portion;

(2) have a unique design or color indicator for purposes of the REAL ID Act; and

(3) bear no indicator or design that relates to the lawful presence or the citizenship of
the license holder.

new text begin (g) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (f), a noncompliant license must be
designed with a vertical layout and a unique background color and must be marked "not for
voting" on the front side if issuance is under any of the following circumstances:
new text end

new text begin (1) the application is for first-time issuance of a license in Minnesota and the applicant
has not demonstrated United States citizenship;
new text end

new text begin (2) the applicant's most recently issued noncompliant license or identification card is
marked as required in this paragraph or subdivision 3, paragraph (g), and the applicant has
not demonstrated United States citizenship; or
new text end

new text begin (3) the applicant submits a document that identifies a temporary lawful status or admission
period.
new text end

deleted text begin (g) deleted text end new text begin (h) new text end A REAL ID compliant license issued to a person with temporary lawful status
or admission period must be marked "temporary" on the face and in the machine-readable
portion.

deleted text begin (h) deleted text end new text begin (i) new text end A license must display the licensee's full name or no fewer than 39 characters of
the name. Any necessary truncation must begin with the last character of the middle name
and proceed through the second letter of the middle name, followed by the last character of
the first name and proceeding through the second letter of the first name.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective October 1, 2025, for driver's license
applications and issuance on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.07, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Identification card; content and design; fee.

(a) Upon payment of the required
fee, the department shall issue to every qualifying applicant a Minnesota identification card.
The department may not issue a Minnesota identification card to an individual who has a
driver's license, other than a limited license. The department may not issue an enhanced
identification card to an individual who is under 16 years of age, not a resident of this state,
or not a citizen of the United States of America. The card must bear: (1) a distinguishing
number assigned to the applicant; (2) a colored photograph or an electronically produced
image of the applicant; (3) the applicant's full name and date of birth; (4) either (i) the
licensee's residence address, or (ii) the designated address under section 5B.05; (5) a
description of the applicant in the manner as the commissioner deems necessary; (6) the
usual signature of the applicant; and (7) designations and markings provided under this
section.

(b) If the United States Postal Service will not deliver mail to the applicant's residence
address as listed on the Minnesota identification card, then the applicant shall provide
verification from the United States Postal Service that mail will not be delivered to the
applicant's residence address and that mail will be delivered to a specified alternate mailing
address. When an applicant provides an alternate mailing address under this subdivision,
the commissioner shall use the alternate mailing address in lieu of the applicant's residence
address for all notices and mailings to the applicant.

(c) Each identification card issued to an applicant under the age of 21 must be of a
distinguishing color and plainly marked "Under-21."

(d) Each Minnesota identification card must be plainly marked "Minnesota identification
card - not a driver's license."

(e) Except for a noncompliant identification card, a Minnesota identification card must
bear a distinguishing indicator for compliance with requirements of the REAL ID Act.

(f) A noncompliant identification card must:

(1) be marked "not for federal identification" on the face and in the machine-readable
portion;

(2) have a unique design or color indicator for purposes of the REAL ID Act; and

(3) bear no indicator or design that relates to the lawful presence or the citizenship of
the identification card holder.

new text begin (g) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (f), a noncompliant identification card
must be designed with a vertical layout and a unique background color and must be marked
"not for voting" on the front side if issuance is under any of the following circumstances:
new text end

new text begin (1) the application is for first-time issuance of a Minnesota identification card and the
applicant has not demonstrated United States citizenship;
new text end

new text begin (2) the applicant's most recently issued noncompliant license or identification card is
marked as required in this paragraph or subdivision 1, paragraph (g), and the applicant has
not demonstrated United States citizenship; or
new text end

new text begin (3) the applicant submits a document that identifies a temporary lawful status or admission
period.
new text end

deleted text begin (g) deleted text end new text begin (h) new text end A REAL ID compliant Minnesota identification card issued to a person with
temporary lawful status or admission period must be marked "temporary" on the face and
in the machine-readable portion.

deleted text begin (h) deleted text end new text begin (i) new text end A Minnesota identification card must display the cardholder's full name or no
fewer than 39 characters of the name. Any necessary truncation must begin with the last
character of the middle name and proceed through the second letter of the middle name,
followed by the last character of the first name and proceeding through the second letter of
the first name.

deleted text begin (i) deleted text end new text begin (j) new text end The fee for a Minnesota identification card is 50 cents when issued to a person
who is developmentally disabled, as defined in section 252A.02, subdivision 2; a physically
disabled person, as defined in section 169.345, subdivision 2; or, a person with mental
illness, as described in section 245.462, subdivision 20, paragraph (c).

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective October 1, 2025, for Minnesota
identification card applications and issuance on or after that date.
new text end