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The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) uses facial recognition technology to make sure a person has only one driver license or identification card. The agency’s goal is to ensure the integrity of driver licenses and ID cards while protecting the personal information of all Washingtonians.
Using a driver license or ID card photo, DOL’s facial recognition software creates a digital template of facial features such as eye sockets, cheekbones, and sides of the mouth.
The system compares the template with all of the other photos already in our database to determine if someone is attempting to apply for a license using someone else’s identity or an alias. If a potential match is found, it is flagged for review by specially trained DOL staff.
We use facial recognition technology to ensure an applicant does not have more than one driver license or an ID issued under a different identity. State law authorizes the use of facial recognition for a standard driver license or identification card, and requires a biometric matching system for enhanced driver licenses and ID cards.