Will the New Licenses Turn Black in the Sunlight?

January 13, 2011

Question: The new license paper is obviously very durable, but it seems to be light sensitive, too. How careful do I need to be to prevent it from changing color and going dark?

Answer: The new ALDS license is both tear-resistant and completely waterproof. This paper has undergone extensive testing and has been in use since May 2009 for online license purchases.

Regarding the sensitivity to light, the paper will:

1.   Darken if exposed to extreme heat, such as on a dashboard for weeks at a time. However, a darker license is still usable as long as the text and signature is still readable.

2.   Darken if exposed to temperatures greater than 200 degrees F°. If this occurs, the license must be replaced.  Customers can purchase a duplicate license from any license agent or DFG office.

Licenses should never be heat-laminated as this will destroy the license. This was also the case for the previous license paper.