Approximately 8,200 Michigan residents have received driver's licenses and state identification cards featuring an unfamiliar face due to a printing error by the state's vendor, Idemia. The misprinted cards, created on August 26, displayed a stock photo of a Black man alongside a fabricated date of birth in the lower-right corner, intended to be the cardholder's photograph.
The Michigan Secretary of State's Office confirmed the error on September 5, clarifying that the generic information on the misprinted cards does not belong to another resident. The stock photo was reportedly used as a placeholder example for enhanced licenses.
Residents who received the erroneous IDs expressed confusion and concern. Lanita Nelson, one of the affected individuals, described discovering a man's face on her enhanced driver's license with a birthdate of January 12, 1967. "I kept looking and I was like, ‘That’s a man in the bottom corner,’" Nelson told CBS Detroit. "And I keep looking, and he’s smiling. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’"
Nelson's experience was shared by others on social media, with one user humorously comparing the mystery man's image to actor Kevin Hart. The misprinted licenses raised concerns about their validity for identification purposes, with some residents questioning whether they could be used if pulled over by law enforcement.
The Michigan Department of State has stated that corrected cards have already been mailed to all affected residents. Individuals who received a misprinted license or ID do not need to take action to request a replacement. Until the corrected cards arrive, residents can access a temporary digital version online or visit a Secretary of State branch. Previously issued, unexpired licenses or IDs remain valid for travel.
This incident follows other recent issues with driver's licenses in the United States. In January, the California Department of Motor Vehicles announced that an estimated 325,000 residents would need to replace their REAL ID driver's licenses due to a software error. Separately, the FBI is investigating a report of tens of millions of driver's licenses from the U.S. and Canada being offered for sale on the dark web.