Which states currently issue enhanced driver's licenses or ID cards?
Executive summary
Five U.S. states currently issue Enhanced Driver’s Licenses or Enhanced ID cards (EDL/EID): Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington, and those cards are explicitly recognized by federal agencies as acceptable alternatives to REAL ID for boarding aircraft and land/sea border crossings [1] [2]. EDLs carry additional citizenship-verifying features and a U.S. flag marking that distinguish them from standard REAL ID cards and are promoted by issuing states and federal pages for cross‑border travel and federal purposes [3] [1].
1. Who issues EDLs today — the short list
Federal and state guidance converge on the same list: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington are the only U.S. jurisdictions currently issuing Enhanced Driver’s Licenses or Enhanced ID cards, a fact repeated on Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security information pages and archived DHS FAQs [1] [2] [4]. State DMV or licensing pages confirm that the EDL/EID in those states functions as both a REAL ID‑compliant credential and as a WHTI‑acceptable document for re‑entry by land or sea to the United States [5] [3] [6].
2. What makes an EDL different from a REAL ID — and why that matters
An EDL is marketed and regulated as a hybrid: it meets REAL ID security standards for federal purposes while also explicitly proving U.S. citizenship for border re‑entry by land or sea, something a standard REAL ID cannot do [1] [4]. Practically, that manifests in differing card markings — EDLs generally bear a U.S. flag and the word “Enhanced,” whereas REAL ID‑compliant cards are often marked with a gold star — and in additional documentation and technology requirements tied to citizenship verification [1] [3].
3. State policy and practical access: who can get these cards
Issuing states limit EDL/EID issuance to U.S. citizens and require proof of citizenship and identity in the application process; Washington’s department of licensing explains the EDL/EID verifies both identity and citizenship and contrasts it with standard licenses that no longer qualify for domestic flights without supplemental federal ID [3]. Minnesota’s DMV likewise notes that the enhanced card is REAL ID‑compliant and usable for crossing land or sea borders to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean, underscoring the narrow eligibility and specific use cases for EDLs [5].
4. Conflicting reports and the question of expansion
Several non‑federal sources have reported potential expansions — for example, an industry blog cited Ohio’s 2023 law as creating a sixth EDL state — but authoritative federal pages (DHS/TSA) and the states’ own licensing resources continue to list only the five states above, and the DHS guidance remains the touchstone for what counts as an accepted EDL for federal purposes [7] [1] [2]. Reporting from state agencies and DHS is the reliable basis for the “currently issue” claim; secondary outlets sometimes conflate legislative authorization with operational issuance, which can create confusion [7] [8].
5. Broader context and lingering questions
Internationally, Canada once offered provincial EDL programs but those programs wound down by 2022 and no Canadian provinces currently issue new EDLs, illustrating how demand, privacy concerns and administrative costs can end such programs [9] [4]. Within the U.S., the EDL remains a niche product concentrated in border‑adjacent or northern states; the federal designation that they are “acceptable alternatives” to REAL ID for federal purposes is clear, but how widely they are promoted or expanded depends on state policy choices and interagency coordination [1] [4].