The days of having a driver's license made while you wait at the deputy registrar's office are coming to an end in Ohio.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced on Wednesday that in order to comply with new federal regulations, licenses and identification cards will be made at a single, central location beginning July 2.

The change is designed to ensure greater security and identity protection for customers, according to the BMV.

As of that date, licenses and identification cards will no longer be produced while you wait at each of the more than 180 Deputy Registrar offices statewide.

While customers will still go to a deputy registrar for license and card renewals or other transactions, they will receive their driver licenses and identification cards by mail rather than over the counter.

Only a temporary proof of transaction will be issued at a deputy registrar location.

The bureau says the extra level of security provided through centralized card production provides greater protection against counterfeiting and complies with all state and federal security standards.

Ohio will be joining 41 other states to provide driver licenses and identification cards through the mail.

According to a BMV news release, centralizing the production of driver licenses and identification cards will reduce driver license fraud and identity theft by:

  • Ensuring driver licenses and identification cards are issued to legitimate cardholders only
  • Preventing loss and theft of secure materials from Deputy Registrar agencies
  • Providing a more secure printing environment, sparing the state the costs associated with security renovations at local deputy registrar agencies.

Beginning July 2, 2018, customers will receive their state driver licenses and identification cards by mail in about 10 days after visiting a registrar. They will receive a temporary card/confirmation of driving privileges until the card arrives in the mail.

People will have the option to have a driver license or identification card that is acceptable for federal identification purposes. New federal travel restrictions requiring secure identification go into effect October 2020.

Customers interested in using their state-issued credential for access to federal facilities or services, such as airport security screening by the Transportation Safety Administration for boarding commercial airlines, may choose to obtain a credential that meets all federal requirements.

If you have a valid U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card, military ID, or another federally approved identification, you may use this as your form of identification to pass a TSA checkpoint at airports nationwide and visit a secure federal building or military installations at any time

Ohioans choosing that option when obtaining a new or renewed license or identification card will be required to provide documentation proving their name and date of birth (such as a birth certificate or passport), Social Security number (such as a Social Security card) and two additional documents proving residential address (such as utility bills).

Those not interested in or not needing to use their state-issued credential for federal identification purposes will have the option of obtaining a standard driver license or identification card without additional document requirements beyond those currently in place.

Deputy registrars will continue to be part of the driver license and identification card process.

Customers will still visit a registrar to initiate driver license and identification card transactions by presenting needed documents and to be photographed.

Driver licenses and identification cards will continue to be valid for four years and require a new photograph with every renewal.

Costs will remain the same for both the standard and compliant cards.