HELENA — If you get a new Montana driver’s license, it may look very different from what you’re used to.
The Montana Department of Justice’s Motor Vehicle Division announced Thursday that it’s introducing a new design for driver’s licenses and state identification cards. Department leaders say it’s intended to be more secure and harder to copy, to protect against fraud and identity theft.
“Protecting Montanans’ identity is important, and the new security enhancements strengthen the protection of personal information,” MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said in a statement. “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.”
The new security features will include engraved images, multicolored ink and raised sections.
In addition to the star symbol for drivers with a REAL ID-compliant license, the new design will also show an eagle symbol if the license holder is a U.S. citizen. During this year’s Montana Legislature session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 91, which required driver’s licenses and ID cards to include a citizenship marker by the start of 2026.
The changes will apply to new licenses, but you will not need to replace your current license until the expiration date listed on the card.
