City switches to paper printouts for temporary driver’s licenses and IDs

illustration of a hand holding the temporary paper ID with lines pointing to key features of the document including the state seal, certification stamp, and a QR code that goes to the online status portal

HONOLULU — A new paper document is replacing Hawai‘i’s temporary driver’s licenses and temporary state identification cards.

Starting Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, all City and County of Honolulu DMV locations will begin issuing black-and-white printouts on standard 8.5” x 11” white paper, instead of small-format, paper temporary cards.

The City’s Department of Customer Services began a staggered rollout of the new temporary document this week.

The change is part of a major modernization update to Hawai‘i’s card production system and is also the result of an update to the national DMV Association’s 2025 DL/ID Card Design Standard.

The new standard requires temporary ID’s be “receipt-like” and that an expired credential be returned to the customer after it is defaced.

A hole will be punched in the existing plastic card, and returned to the customer along with the temporary document. Both items should be carried until the new plastic card arrives in the mail.

“While the temporary paper printout is a visual change, it represents a major step forward in making our DMV operations faster, more secure, and far more efficient,” said Department of Customer Services Director Kim Hashiro, whose oversight responsibilities include driver licensing centers and satellite city halls in the City and County of Honolulu.

This new paper document lets residents drive legally right away while their permanent plastic card is processed, printed, and mailed securely to their home within five weeks.

To ensure data integrity, the printout features the official state seal alongside a verification stamp. It also includes a QR code that links directly to the online tracking system, allowing residents to easily monitor the production status of their permanent card at https://mydmv.hnl.info/.

Residents should note that this temporary paper license is not accepted by the TSA for airport security or federal identification, which is the same as with the previous format.

Anyone traveling while waiting for their permanent card must carry an alternative approved ID, such as a valid U.S. passport. See the TSA website for more information https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

To help manage the transition, residents can renew their license up to six months before it expires and are highly encouraged to schedule a DMV appointment online at alohaq.org. For more information, please visit www.honolulu.gov/csd.

—PAU—

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.