Flyer_KY DL_080112

The Clinton County Circuit Clerk’s Office will be one of the first offices where a new styled driver’s license will be issued in the state of Kentucky.

Kentucky began installing the new equipment necessary to produce the new style license cards in various circuit clerk offices across the state during the first week of August.

Originally, Clinton County wasn’t scheduled to make the change-over until December of 2012, but Circuit Clerk Jake Staton said he received a call Monday morning that another county wasn’t ready for the changeover and Clinton County was next on the list.

“Due to some cancellations at some other sites, they have moved our date up,” Staton said. “We will have the technology way before some of the other parts of the state. We feel very fortunate about that. We like to be one of the front runners on anything like that.”

The new licenses will have several new features, including a hologram with a single color UV and ghost image.

“One of the main reasons they are doing this is for security purposes,” Staton said. “I think it’s going to be better technology. It’s going to provide a better license. The photo will be higher quality and there are more security features.”

Other features include:

• Optional designations for: veteran and organ donors.

• New visible and invisible security features to deter counterfeiters and reduce fraud:

• Hologram with single color UV and ghost image.

• Improved card lamination to increase durability and expose tampering.

• Bank-note level fine line printing.

• IDMarc™ imperceptible digital watermarks to improve card authentication.

• Additional security features are known only to law enforcement and public officials to aid them in determining whether or not the card is authentic at points of inspection.

Kentucky is one of 32 states to use a facial image comparison solution to find potential identity fraud where an applicant already has a driver’s license under another name.

Staton explained that the current security features on a Kentucky driver’s license were put in place following the terrorism acts of 9-1-1, but as with anything, time will always warrant that updates are implemented.

“With any technology, people are going to find a way around it, but we had this done 11 years ago and what brought all that about was the 911 attack. We try to always look for anything to come up suspicious, but sometimes when you’re busy, a visual check is not always good. I think that it will enhance the security and make it tougher to duplicate those licenses.”

Staton said the old driver’s licenses, I.D. cards and CDLs will be valid and people won’t need to renew their licences until they are up for renewal. The price for a renewal hasn’t change and will remain at $20.

The circuit clerk’s office will be closed next Wednesday, September 26, for the purpose of equipment and software installation. In order to get the new software update, and the new cameras, driver’s license, I.D. cards and CDLs will not be issued on that day.

“We apologize for any inconveniences that it might cause anyone for being closed that day, but they have to install the equipment,” Staton said. “All counties across the state will be implementing this new equipment.”

Staton said he is glad to get the new equipment and is more than happy to be getting it early.

“This is something people need to know,” Staton said. “This new license is going to have a designation for veterans and organ donors. It’s going to have an icon for organ donors. That’s pretty neat that they are going to put that on there. Right now we just have a little sticker that we peel off and put on the licenses. Those stickers can be peeled off.”

There have been several other counties in Kentucky where the equipment to issue the new driver’s license has already been installed including: McLean, Bourbon, Anderson, Woodford, Jefferson, Warren, Pulaski and McCracken counties.