Enhanced driver's licenses are available to Canadian citizens residing in British Columbia and Manitoba, and formerly in Ontario and Quebec. After running it for five years, Quebec discontinued the enhanced driver's license program, citing low demand as the reason. Current enhanced driver's license (Driver's Licence Plus) identification cards.
An enhanced driver license (EDL) works double-duty as a drivers license and a passport. With it you can enter the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean without needing any other proof of identification.
Unlike passports, enhanced driver licenses can be carried in a wallet, making them especially convenient for when traveling.
- Do I need to pass the knowledge or driving tests to get an enhanced driver license? If you want an EDL for your first WA driver license, you must pass both the knowledge and driving test.; If you already have a valid driver license from WA or another state, you don't need to pass the knowledge or driving test unless you have a medical or physical condition that indicates testing is required.
- Your fancy new 'Arkansas Voluntary Enhanced Security Driver's License' looks pretty much like the old one - including that bad photo in which at best you look really grumpy and at worst you look.
- Apply for an EDL or EIC If you're travelling to the U.S. By land or water, the enhanced driver's licence (EDL) or enhanced ID (EIC) is a great alternative to a passport. It's convenient, inexpensive and gives you access to a faster Ready Lane at certain border crossing points.
- A State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) provides travelers not only a license to drive but also a proof of identity and citizenship when exiting and re-entering the United States borders. This is a card under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) that has security features and technology that make travel a lot easier and safer.
If you don't drive, you can instead apply for an enhanced ID (EID). It, too, serves as a passport alternative when entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, but without the option to drive.
NOTE: EDLs and EIDs are ONLY for entrance by sea or land. A regular passport is needed for when entering the U.S. by air.
Enhanced Drivers License Application Requirement
You may only apply for an EDL, or what some call a passport card, if offered by your home state.
Currently, only the four following states offer EDLs:
- Michigan
- New York
- Vermont
- Washington
Requirements and fees vary by state, but in general you can expect some or all of the following requirements when visiting your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office:
- Proof of state residency. Depending on your state you will either need one or two documents of proof.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship.
- Proof of identity. In most cases, your current driver's license will suffice.
- A valid Social Security number.
- Proper documentation if your name has changed. Depending on the your situation, this will entail a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
- Proper payment. Generally an EDL is about $30 to $40 more than a regular driver license (far cheaper than a $130 passport).
Before visiting your DMV to apply, call ahead and confirm needed documents. All states will require documents to be originals or certified copies. Photocopied documents will be rejected.
In most cases, expect two to three weeks for your EDL to be processed. Plan accordingly if you need to use it for travel.
In addition to a regular driver licenses, you may, depending on your state, also apply for an EDL for the following license types:
- Commercial driver's license (CDL)
- Chauffer's license
- Intermediate driver's license
- Motorcycle license
Do you have an enhanced drivers license or enhanced ID? How was the application process for you?
An enhanced driver's license (EDL) in U.S. English, enhanced driver's licence in Canadian English, or enhanced ID in other common usage, is a card which functions both as driving licence and ID card with limited passport features issued in some states in the United States[1] and some provinces in Canada[2] to people who are both citizens of the country and residents in the relevant region, compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
An enhanced driver's license is allowed to be used as an alternative to a passport for international land and sea travel, but not air travel, to countries that recognize it. The card includes machine-readableRFID and barcode for automated identification of the card and its holder.
Bc Driver's Licence Renewal
As a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant travel document, an EDL may be used for 'official purposes' (such as boarding a domestic flight) covered by the U.S. REAL ID Act.[3] However, a U.S. state that issues only EDLs, but does not issue any other REAL ID-compliant driver's license, is not deemed compliant with the REAL ID Act unless granted an extension.[4] Likewise, REAL ID-compliant licenses alone are not sufficient to cross international borders, even if a state gives its REAL ID-compliant licenses a similar name.[5]
Enhanced driver's licenses are available to U.S. citizens who reside in the states of Michigan,[3][6]Minnesota,[3][7]New York,[3][8]Vermont,[3][9] and Washington.[3][10]
Enhanced driver's licenses are available to Canadian citizens residing in British Columbia[11] and Manitoba,[12] and formerly in Ontario[13] and Quebec.[2][14][15] After running it for five years, Quebec discontinued the enhanced driver's license program, citing low demand as the reason. Current enhanced driver's license (Driver's Licence Plus) identification cards will remain valid until their expiration dates. Driver's Licence Plus documents have not been issued since 30 September 2014.[16]
See also[edit]
Enhanced Drivers License Chip Sleeve
References[edit]
- ^'Enhanced Drivers Licenses: What Are They?'. Department of Homeland Security. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ ab'Your guide to British Columbia's enhanced driver's licence program'(PDF). ICBC.com. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 29, 2013.
- ^ abcdef'State Implementation'. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^'State Compliance'. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^'Real ID'. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^'Enhanced Drivers License'. Michigan Secretary of State.
- ^'IDENTIFICATION CARD – INFORMATION – ENHANCED IDENTIFICATION CARD'. Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
- ^'Get an Enhanced Driver License (EDL)]'. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
- ^'Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)'. Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.
- ^'Enhanced Driver License/ID Card (EDL/EID)'. Washington State Department of Licensing.
- ^'B.C. Enhanced Driver's Licence'. Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat.
- ^'Manitoba's Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) and Enhanced Identification Card (EIC) Program'(PDF). Manitoba Public Insurance.
- ^'Enhanced Driver's License'. Queen's Printer for Ontario.
- ^Chung, Andrew (March 17, 2009). 'New Quebec Licence Good for U.S. travel'. Toronto Star.
- ^'States and Provinces Offering Enhanced Drivers Licenses'. Customs and Border Protection. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^'I Need Information...' Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Retrieved June 7, 2014.