Is presenting a screen shot of your driver license or

1. How mainstream identity services handle images of IDs

Major identity-verification providers and government-facing portals commonly ask users to take photos of the front and back of their government-issued ID and to submit a selfie or short video to complete remote verification — Login.gov tells users to “take photos of your ID online” or verify in person ^[2], ID.me requires front-and-back photos and a video selfie or Self-Service flow ^{[1] [7]}, and commercial platforms like Stripe and Persona document workflows that combine uploaded ID photos with biometric checks to confirm ownership ^{[3] [4]}. These systems do not treat a static screenshot alone as a single, stand‑alone proof in most high-assurance contexts; instead they use the image as one input to automated extraction, face matching, and liveness detection ^{[4] [8]}.

2. When a screenshot might "work" and when it won’t

For low-risk, informal situations — showing a friend a picture after losing a wallet, or proving identity to a private party temporarily — a screenshot can be pragmatically useful, but it generally won’t meet legal or regulatory requirements for controlled transactions like alcohol sales, government benefits, employment eligibility, or security access, where the ability to tactilely inspect or query the issuing database is required ^{[9] [10]}. Companies that onboard customers remotely typically require more than a simple image: data extraction, selfie matching, and oftentimes a “liveness” check or follow-up that a lone screenshot cannot satisfy ^{[4] [7]}.

3. Why screenshots are vulnerable and how technology fights back

Static images are easy to copy, alter, or replay; the industry has responded with two main defenses: backend database verification and dynamic digital credentials. AAMVA’s DLDV service enables real-time verification of license data against issuing agencies so a mere image can be checked for consistency with DMV records ^[6], while modern mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and associated verification stacks use dynamic QR codes, NFC, or cryptographic exchanges that intentionally render screenshots useless because the codes refresh or validation happens in real time ^[5]. Vendors like Veridas, Persona, iDenfy, and others combine optical data extraction with certified liveness detection and biometric matching to reduce fraud that a screenshot enables ^{[8] [4] [11]}.

4. Practical guidance for everyday use and transactions

Treat a screenshot as a temporary convenience, not a replacement for your physical ID: for official or regulated activities, present the physical credential or an mDL validated via an official scanner or app where available ^{[5] [9]}. When asked to upload an ID for online verification, follow the provider’s instructions to photograph front and back and complete any selfie or video step — these are industry-standard mitigations against simple screenshot fraud ^{[1] [7] [3]}. Businesses should not accept screenshots alone for regulated sales or hires without additional verification steps or access to authoritative checks like DLDV ^[6].

5. Limits of the available reporting and open questions

The sources document how commercial verifiers and government portals use images and how mDLs and database checks counter screenshot fraud, but the materials do not offer a single legal rule that defines screenshot admissibility across every jurisdiction or transaction type; specific laws and merchant policies — and the technical setup of the verifier in question — determine whether a screenshot will be accepted, and this analysis cannot substitute for reading the policy of the agency, employer, or vendor involved ^{[2] [9] [6]}.