What's happening
This bill requires drivers renewing their licenses in New York to provide an updated signature in addition to a photo.
Why it matters
Strengthens identity verification. By requiring an updated signature at each license renewal, the bill makes it harder for someone to renew a license fraudulently, helping to prevent identity theft and license misuse.
Aligns physical and digital records. Collecting a new signature ensures that both the physical driver’s license and associated digital records reflect a person’s current signature, which may change over time due to age, health, or personal reasons.
Improves signature accuracy for legal and financial uses. Many official transactions (such as banking, voting, or legal agreements) use a driver’s license as a primary ID; having a current signature increases the credibility and utility of the license in these scenarios.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require New License Photos
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1925
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2017
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to renewal of drivers' licenses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 3 of part K of chapter 59 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
(a) A license issued pursuant to subdivision five of this section shall be valid until the expiration date contained thereon, unless such license is suspended, revoked or cancelled. Such license may be renewed by submission of an application for renewal, the fee prescribed by law, proofs of prior licensing, fitness and acceptable vision prescribed by the commissioner, the applicant's social security number, an updated signature and [if required by the commissioner a] photo image of the applicant, which shall be displayed on the applicant's new license, in such numbers and form as the commissioner shall prescribe. In addition, an applicant for renewal of a license containing a hazardous material endorsement shall pass an examination to retain such endorsement. The commissioner shall, with respect to the renewal of a hazardous materials endorsement, comply with the requirements imposed upon states by sections 383.141 and 1572.13 of title 49 of the code of federal regulations. A renewal of such license shall be issued by the commissioner upon approval of such application, except that no such license shall be issued if its issuance would be inconsistent with the provisions of section five hundred sixteen of this title, and except that the commissioner may refuse to renew such license if the applicant is the holder of a currently valid or renewable license to drive issued by another state or foreign country unless the applicant surrenders such license.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07616-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to renewal of drivers' licenses
Purpose
To require an updated signature and photo image for renewal and display on a renewed license.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the vehicle and traffic law to require an updated signature and photo image accompany an application for license renewal. These updates will be displayed on the applicant's new license.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
Existing law
New York State Law and regulations require that all New York drivers' licenses are renewed and updated at a minimum of every eight years.
Justification
Currently, New York State law and regulations require that all New York drivers' licenses are renewed and updated at a minimum of every eight years. This requirement for updated license information is for safety precautions. Generally the updates required include listing changes in height, residential address, and eye examination results. Pursuant to law and regulations there is the requirement to obtain an eye exam every eight years which can be achieved at county and state operated Departments of Motor Vehicles.
However, the only states in the country that lack the requirement to update driver's license photos are New York and Nevada. This results in many New York driver's license photos and signatures being decades old. The intent of requiring a photo on a driver's license is to help verify identity, prevent fraud and identity theft, and increase safety. By allowing license holders to have identifying photographs and signatures that are decades old defeats the legislative intent behind these requirements.
This bill requires that an updated signature and photo image of the applicant accompany a submission of an application for license renewal. Requiring an updated photo and signature on a driver's license would not have to include an additional cost to the state resident license holder. Instead, this innocuous update would have tremendous benefits at little detriment to the applicant.
In this state and throughout the country, a driver's license is the leading document verifying identity. It is provided to safety officials, government workers, and private business whenever photo verification is needed. Updating this document with a current photo and signature is necessary to prevent fraud and provide accurate information to these sources. Furthermore, providing accurate information to police officers in the field is especially necessary to promote public safety and security efforts. For all of these reasons it is imperative that this bill is enacted.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S.5097 Referred to Transportation.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.