Security and privacy: EDL/ID
- What security features does the EDL/ID have?
- The EDL/ID is designed with enhancements that are industry best practices for security, including:
- An icon on the front of the card to indicate it is an EDL/ID.
- A machine readable zone like a bar code on the back of the card that can be scanned at the border like a passport.
- A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to speed identification checks at border crossings. For more information about RFID tags, see EDL/ID Facts: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
- A security sleeve to protect the RFID tag from being read when the card isn’t being used for border crossing.
- What about data security?
- We work hard to keep your personal information secure by:
- Encrypting personal identifying information transmitted between Washington State and the border agent.
- Using a dedicated and secure circuit to transmit the unique reference number embedded in your EDL/ID to the Customs and Border Protection network.
- Using a closed and secure network design, including firewalls.
- Limiting and controlling access to the network, network equipment, and data centers.
- Recognizing the network address of an information query as a legitimate requestor and rejecting requests from all unrecognized network addresses.
- Does the EDL/ID card transmit my personal information?
- No. The RFID tag embedded in your card doesn’t contain any personal identifying information, just a unique reference number. Plus, the tag doesn’t have a power source and cannot transmit data. An RFID reader at the border crossing station sends radio waves to the tag in your card and collects the reference number so it can be matched to our records to verify the information printed on the front of your card.
- I heard the EDL/ID has a computer chip embedded in it. Can someone use the chip to get my personal information?
- No. The radio frequency identification (RFID) tag embedded in an EDL/ID doesn’t contain any personal identifying information, just a reference number. Your card also comes with a security sleeve which prevents the RFID tag in your card from being read when it isn’t being used at a border crossing station.
- Can I turn off the radio frequency identification (RFID) tag?
- No, tampering with or deactivating the RFID tag embedded in your EDL/ID will invalidate the card so it cannot be used for border crossing.
- Who has access to the personal information I give when I apply for an EDL/ID?
- Only Department of Licensing employees who have passed a thorough background check have access to your personal information.