Driver's License Designs
Nevada driver's licenses have been changed and improved significantly over the years. See below for information on the different versions.
Nevada driver's licenses have been changed and improved significantly over the years. See below for information on the different versions.
The newest Nevada card design features the state's Battle Born insignia, the statehood year of 1864, and photos of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Las Vegas skyline. On the back is the Carson City skyline and the Black Rock Desert Playa.
The cards have many upgraded security features including a ghost photo, a laser engraving of the holder's initials and birth year, and a restated date of birth that has a raised feel.
Real ID compliant cards show a gold Nevada outline with a star cut out. Standard cards are marked "NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES" and Driver Authorization Cards are marked "NOT VALID FOR ID." Cards are marked "LIMITED TERM" just below the Real ID indicator when immigration documents are used for proof of identity.
All Nevada cards issued September 1, 2021, or later feature the new design.
This design features a bighorn sheep and the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the top and the State Capitol Building in the background. These cards are valid until expiration and will remain in circulation until 2029.
Nevada began issuing eight-year licenses and ID cards on January 1, 2014. Some cards in this design remained in circulation through their expiration date in 2022.
Commercial licenses, ID cards, etc., are designated as such in the banner that shows "DRIVER LICENSE" in this example.
The cards do not include any markings related to Real ID.
Cards issued to those under 21 years of age used a vertical format.
If the holder was under 18 at issuance, the card featured a red banner with the words "Under 18 Until" followed by the date the cardholders turned 18.
Cards issued at ages 18-20 had a vertical format but did not include the red banner.
The first Nevada license under Central Issuance was issued at the Carson City office on October 10, 2008. The statewide rollout was completed on January 13, 2009.
Licenses issued to drivers under 18 had a red banner indicating their 18th birthday.
Licenses issued to drivers 18 - 20 were in the vertical format but did not have a red banner.
Driver licenses and identification cards in the original digitized style were issued from May, 2002, through January, 2009.
These were printed at the DMV field offices and issued to drivers over the counter.
Under 21 cards displayed a vertical format and the words "Under 21 Until" followed by the date the cardholder would turn 21 in a yellow bar.
Film-based licenses and ID cards were issued to all Nevadans prior to 2002.
Travel teams in remote areas continued to issue film licenses through 2006.
The license issued to drivers between 18 and 21 had a yellow header bar across the top with the words "MINOR DRIVER UNDER 21" in red print.
The license issued to young people under 18 had a light blue header bar across the top of the license with the words "MINOR DRIVER UNDER 18" printed in yellow in the upper right corner.
Nevada began issuing the Under 21 licenses pictured here in April, 1998. Under 21 licenses issued prior to that date were identical to the adult license.
