State bird to soar on Idaho IDs
Idaho identification cards and licenses will feature the mountain bluebird starting in the Spring. Replacement cards or IDs processed then will come with the new look, and all IDs expiring after the spring will be updated as they're renewed.
Photo courtesy of the Department of Motor Vehicles
The Idaho driver's license and ID cards will unveil a new look beginning this spring. The updated card will introduce the mountain bluebird to the design, Idaho’s state bird, alongside the Idaho statehouse and sawtooth mountains.
New IDs will have the same color scheme, with slight variations, and the design will extend across state-issued identification cards, including instruction permits or concealed weapons permits.
There’s no need to replace an existing card that hasn’t expired, except to sport the new look. Old ID or license cards will still be valid until their expiration date. The new design will be automatically updated at the next renewal.
Idaho residents cannot opt to maintain the old design based on preference. Once an ID expires, all cards issued from the spring and beyond will feature the new design.
Starting May 7, 2025, airlines will no longer accept a driver's license to board an airplane or access a federal building. An additional ID will be required, like Idaho’s real ID the Star card, a U.S. passport or a military ID.
To get a Star card, residents will need a birth certificate, Social Security card and two proofs of Idaho residency. A driver's license will not be automatically updated to a Star card.
Just 45% of Idahoans have a Star card, with a little over two years before they're required to fly.