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Thursday, April 18, 2002

By Torsten Ove, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

A motorist who wants a Pennsylvania driver's license will now have to show specific forms of identification and proof of residency under new Department of Transportation guidelines designed to tighten security.

As part of a nationwide effort to clamp down on identity theft and fraud, PennDOT on Tuesday began requiring certain documents when applying for a license, a learner's permit or a photo identification card.

The documents may vary depending on whether the applicant is a resident of Pennsylvania and a citizen of the United States, but all must show the same name and date of birth or an "association" between the documents to prove identity.

Examples of acceptable forms of identification are a U.S. birth certificate, a valid passport or a Pennsylvania photo ID card. Applicants must also show proof of residency documents such as utility bills, tax records or weapons permits.

PennDOT says the new requirements shouldn't slow down the permit process if everybody brings what they need when they apply.

"Planning ahead and being prepared to show the required documents will save customers an additional trip to a PennDOT driver license center for service and may speed up service time," said Transportation Secretary Brad Mallory in a news release.

The guidelines are a response to security concerns raised after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said PennDOT spokeswoman Joan Z. Nissley.

Among those concerns was the fact that 20 Iraqi men bribed former PennDOT license examiner Robert Ferrari in Pittsburgh to get fraudulent commercial driver's licenses, 18 of which carried permits to haul hazardous materials. The FBI was initially concerned the men might be terrorists, but agents have found no links between the fraud and terrorism.

The men have pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court and most will be sentenced to probation. Ferrari has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

"That employee lacked integrity," Nissley said. "There's no way you can prevent that. But we have also tightened our internal procedures on our employees. We can find out when irregularities occur."

The new requirements are contained in full online at www.dmv.state.pa.us.

Some of them are:

A resident of Pennsylvania who is 16 or 17 must show a Social Security card and one of these: U.S. birth certificate; INS form N-560, N-550 or N-570; Pennsylvania photo ID card; Pennsylvania photo driver's license; U.S. passport; or U.S. military photo ID card.

A resident 18 or older must show one document from the above list, a Social Security card and two of these: current utility bill; tax records, leases or mortgage papers; W-2 form; or gun permit.

A new resident of Pennsylvania has to get a state license within 60 days. An applicant 16 or 17 years old must show one of the approved identification documents, a Social Security card and an out-of-state driver's license or ID card.