Did you receive a notice from Secretary of State saying your driver’s license is cancelled? If you did, it might be because, in the past, you applied for a driver’s license with information that is different from what you’re using now.
Facial Recognition Software Being Used to Catch Inconsistencies
The Illinois Secretary of State has acquired facial recognition software within the last few years. As a result, the software is able to scan decades of Illinois driver’s licenses and compare photos with the information on each.
A few reasons information might be inconsistent include:
- A person used a fake social security number or name or someone else’s information to drive
- An individual was not legally in the country
- A person was under 21 years of age at the time they applied for their driver’s license
Due to the new software, the computer is catching when a person’s face doesn’t have consistent information. As a result, we are seeing clients who used different information as far back as 20 years ago and whose driver’s licenses are just now getting cancelled.
What Should You Do?
First, don’t panic. We have handled a lot of driver’s license fraud cases. Here’s what you need to know: A cancellation is not like a suspension; it will not automatically end. To remove the cancellation, you must take certain steps like contacting the Department of Police for Secretary of State. You will need to provide them with documentation such as a birth certificate to prove your identity.
Please note that this is not a criminal or immigration proceeding. The Secretary of State is simply trying to make sure people have driver’s licenses with their own correct information. If you are not legally in the country, we can still clear up the cancellation and get you a TVDL for driving.
Once the cancellation is removed, the Secretary of State will then enter a 1-year suspension of your driver’s license as a “punishment” for the bad information. However, circumstances exist where you can get driving privileges during that time, such as if you can prove a hardship.
Call our experienced criminal defense attorneys at The Toney Law Firm, LLC at (888) 473-4058 or contact us online to get all your questions answered and for help clearing up your driver’s license cancellation.