Virginia’s new driver’s license and ID card design features the rotunda ceiling in the capitol building in Richmond.

Virginia DMV / Virginia DMV

New driver’s license and ID card designs are rolling out in Virginia starting today, the Commonwealth’s Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday.

The design features the Richmond Capitol building’s rotunda dome, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (the state insect), and an American Dogwood (the state flower).

It also has “next-generation” security features that make counterfeiting more difficult that include laser-engraved data, a wave-shaped design in the lower right-hand corner, a design that changes when tilted, and design elements that pop under UV light.

“The attractive design elements are actually layers of state-of-the-art security features,” DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey said in a news release. “Virginians can count on their DMV to provide secure credentials that stand the test of time.”

Those under 21 will have vertical licenses. Birth date and year are also printed larger in the lower left. Meanwhile, the driver’s license top banner will be blue and ID cards will be green.

People applying for a new license or ID card, REAL ID, or a renewal or replacement will receive the new design.

The old version of Virignia’s ID cards featured the outside of the Virginia capitol. Those cards and licenses are valid until the listed expiration date.

The old version of Virginia’s driver’s license. Virginia DMV / Virginia DMV

Those that want to use a license to fly or access certain federal facilities will need a REAL ID license by May 7, 2025. A REAL ID has a star in the top right. The REAL ID law was passed after 9/11 to ensure minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. More than 2.7 million Virginians have a Real ID, which makes up about 43% of state-issued credentials, the Washington Post reported last year.

Virginia is also working on creating a digital driver’s license and hopes to have it roll out later this year.