Enhanced driver's license explained

An enhanced driver's licence (EDL) or enhanced ID in common usage, is a card which functions both as driving licence and identity card with limited passport features issued in some provinces in Canada,[1] in some states in the United States,[2] for people who are both citizens of the country and residents of the relevant region, compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

An EDL is a combined driver's license and passport card, meaning it allows for international land and sea travel, but not air travel, to countries that recognize it. The card includes machine-readable radio-frequency identification and barcode for automated identification of the card and its holder.

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] Unlike EDLs, 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.[4] EDLs are available to U.S. citizens who reside in the states of Michigan,[5] Minnesota,[6] New York,[7] Vermont,[8] and Washington.[9] Ohio passed a law in 2023 to offer EDLs, but they are not yet available to residents of that state.[10]

From August 2022, no Canadian provinces are issuing new EDLs and the program will terminate in the country once the validity of all existing EDLs lapse. Previously, EDLs were available to Canadian citizens residing in British Columbia,[11] Manitoba[12],Ontario,[13] and Quebec.[1] [14] Between 2008 and 2009, the Saskatchewan government spent approximately $600,000 to develop EDLs for the province. However after nearly a year into development, the Bill to codify EDLs into provincial law was voted down after an investigation by the Province's Privacy Commissioner and none were ever issued.[15] After running it for five years, Quebec discontinued the EDL program in 2014, citing low demand as the reason. No EDLs have been issued in the province since 30 September 2014 and all licenses have expired by 2019.[16] Ontario terminated the program in June 2019 as a government initiative to save costs, although existing EDLs remain valid until their expiration dates.[17] British Columbia announced in early 2021 that the province will be phasing out EDLs and no new applications would be accepted from 18 January 2021 for similar reasons.[18] In February 2021, Manitoba, the last province that was still accepting new applications, announced that it would be discontinuing the enhanced driver's licences and enhanced identification cards in 2022.[19] The province terminated the program in June 2022 and no new cards would be produced.[20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Your guide to British Columbia's enhanced driver's licence program . ICBC. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130929030112/http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/edl-eic/edl-guide.pdf . September 29, 2013 .
  2. Web site: Enhanced Drivers Licenses: What Are They? . Apr 21, 2024 . Department of Homeland Security.
  3. Web site: State Implementation . Department of Homeland Security . June 5, 2017 .
  4. Web site: Real ID . Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration . June 5, 2017 .
  5. Web site: Enhanced Drivers License . Michigan Secretary of State .
  6. Web site: IDENTIFICATION CARD – INFORMATION – ENHANCED IDENTIFICATION CARD . Minnesota Department of Public Safety .
  7. Web site: Get an Enhanced Driver License (EDL) ]. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles .
  8. Web site: Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) . Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles .
  9. Web site: Enhanced Driver License/ID Card (EDL/EID) . Washington State Department of Licensing .
  10. News: Pelzer . Jeremy . Ohio will soon offer enhanced driver’s licenses. Here’s what they are and why they were (once) controversial . Cleveland.com . May 16, 2023 .
  11. Web site: B.C. Enhanced Driver's Licence . gov.bc.ca. Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat .
  12. Web site: Manitoba's Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) and Enhanced Identification Card (EIC) Program . Manitoba Public Insurance .
  13. Web site: Enhanced Driver's License . Ontario .
  14. News: Chung . Andrew . New Quebec Licence Good for U.S. travel . Toronto Star . March 17, 2009 .
    - Web site: States and Provinces Offering Enhanced Drivers Licenses . Customs and Border Protection . February 27, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130424215047/http://getyouhome.gov/html/EDL_map.html . April 24, 2013 .
  15. Web site: New Alternatives for U.S. Land Border Crossings . Saskatchewan Government . 2 December 2022.
    - News: Sask. government ditches 'enhanced' driver's licence plan . 2 December 2022 . CBC Saskatchewan . 29 March 2009.
  16. Web site: I Need Information... . Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec . June 7, 2014 .
  17. Web site: Enhanced driver's licence . Ontario government.
    - News: Ontario plans to eliminate enhanced driver’s licences used at border crossings . 16 August 2022 . The Star . 14 May 2019 .
  18. Web site: 2021-01-18. B.C. to phase out enhanced driver's licence and ID cards. 2021-01-19. CTV News .
    - Web site: B.C. phasing out travel ID cards . British Columbia Public Safety and Solicitor General. 16 August 2022 . 18 January 2021.
  19. Web site: February 9, 2021. Manitoba discarding enhanced IDs for U.S. entry. August 15, 2021. CBC News.
  20. Web site: Residents Portal . Province of Manitoba . 16 August 2022 . 23 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923191839/https://residents.gov.mb.ca/reference.html?d=details&program_id=303 . dead .

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