Driving Privilege Cards Not Enough: Utah Weighs Dedicated IDs for Undocumented Residents

27 October 2026

The Utah Legislature is considering a significant step to expand state IDs for undocumented residents beyond the current Driving Privilege Card (DPC) system, which allows residents to drive but not access ID-requiring services.

The change would further the purpose of Utah's DPC program, which was established in 2005 to allow Utah residents to drive legally even if they could not prove lawful presence in the U.S. DPCs allow individuals who can prove Utah residency and provide a valid identity, but not proof of presence, to drive in Utah. However, more is needed. Though DPCs allow holders to drive, they cannot be used for government identification or age verification, leaving undocumented residents without a state ID for banking, pharmacies, buying alcohol, or voting.

Utah State Senator Luz Escamilla, a lead sponsor of the proposed ID expansion, recently told KSL News that DPCs are "far from sufficient." According to estimates, about 9,000 of Utah's roughly 89,000 undocumented residents live without ready access to an ID, prompting advocates to call for a new solution. There is a discussion in the legislature about how to develop a non-REAL ID-compliant credential that allows undocumented residents to open bank accounts, get prescriptions, etc.

The Fundamental Design Differences Between DPCs and Possible New ID

Driving Privilege Cards were established as a limited but important tool to allow undocumented individuals to drive legally in Utah. Driving is a central part of economic and civic life for many residents, particularly in sparsely populated rural states like Utah. Making roads safer for all with licensed drivers, while also allowing undocumented residents to travel to jobs, schools, and other responsibilities, was the rationale for the DPC.

But Driving Privilege Cards remain deeply limited in scope. Department of Commerce Director Valdez highlighted the "Not valid for identification" stamp: these cards are intended to do one thing and one thing only—permit driving. Undocumented individuals "cannot legally become US citizens at this time," but "still need an ID." Yet they face a Catch-22 in needing a government ID to get documented, but being denied by that same government in the first place.

One important part of the issue is that DPCs are only available in English, whereas there have been recent changes to let REAL IDs be issued in other languages. Advocates say that providers find it too cumbersome to contact their home countries to get one of the few acceptable visas other than a permit currently offered by the DPC.

The Policy Rationale for a New ID

To support the approximately 160,000 undocumented immigrants in Utah—where most of the growth has occurred in recent years—focus on their integration, productivity and safety. Utilizing state IDs to make banks, medical professionals and businesses cater to undocumented customers helps improve living standards for these residents. Driving Privilege Cards have started to help but have inherent limitations. DPCs do not solve the problem of non-driver ID.

That leaves the responsibility of addressing policies that affect residents regardless of their immigration status.

The Policy Status and Next Steps

As of 2025, the legislature is still discussing how exactly to implement this expansion, with more questions than answers. Since undocumented residents are currently not eligible for compliant licenses or IDs due to REAL ID requirements, the exact parameters remain in flux, as do the implementation timeline and details. What is clear is the need.

Speaking to KSL News, Democratic state Senator Luz Escamilla, who is one of the chief lawmakers behind the ID expansion, underscored the backing that the proposal has gained. "This is not about a party," she said—several members of the Utah House have bid on this proposal. "Even lawmakers who weren't the most sympathetic to increasing access to IDs for the undocumented have understood the need."

The Need is Undeniable

The policy issue at hand is not what type of ID to create, but whether the need for state IDs is large enough for Utah residents regardless of immigration status. Undocumented immigration remains a contentious issue in the United States and an increasingly difficult question in Utah. The choice, an intractable immigration policy debate, is the one the Utah Legislature must confront.