State Division of Motor Vehicle offices were open long enough Wednesday to process a few license applications under new guidelines designed to comply with a court order.
The wintry weather, however, eventually won out and the state’s 52 license locations were shut before things really got going, a spokeswoman said.
The new guidelines continue not to allow the use of a U.S. passport by itself as proof of identity, age and legal presence here – as required by state law.
“To accept a U.S. passport, it must show the full legal name and we need a document from the guidelines that supports the full legal name,” according to the DMV memo circulated early Wednesday.
Other key changes are that driver’s licenses from 33 states and the District of Columbia could be acceptable proof on their own.
The guidelines were published to the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles website, but emergency rules that deal with how the state will issue licenses have not been made public.
Department of Revenue spokeswoman Diane Reimer said Wednesday that additional changes are to be made to the rules, which can remain in place for up to 90 days.
Lawyers who argued and won an injunction against a state requirement that applicants provide two forms of identification complained that some people who tried to use a passport to prove their identity were told it wasn’t enough.
A Denver judge determined the state illegally created the two-document rule without first seeking public comment and ordered it scrapped.
The guidelines can be found at www.revenue.state.co.us. Click on driver’s licenses and then on FAQs.
Staff writer David Migoya can be reached at 303-954-1506 or dmigoya@denverpost.com.
