HOW TO CHECK FOR IDENTIFICATION

Bona Fide Identification

Bona Fide (legally acceptable) Identification is one card that contains these six items:

  • Issued by a government agency (Federal, State, County, or City)
  • Name of the person
  • Date of birth
  • Physical description
  • Photograph
  • Currently valid (not expired)

Examples of Acceptable Identification

Acceptable forms of identification include a:

  • California driver’s license
  • California-issued identification card
  • Out-of-state driver’s license
  • Out-of-state identification card
  • Military identification card

A person may not combine two unacceptable identifications to make one acceptable I.D.

Accepting out-of-state licenses increases your risk of accepting false identification and inadvertently selling to a minor. If your company policy is to accept them, at least use an I.D. checking guide to identify genuine documents. After looking up the format in the booklet, be sure to take the extra step of scrutinizing the information on the document just as you would California I.D.

Examples of Unacceptable Identification

U.S. government immigrant identification card:

  • Birth certificate
  • School or work I.D. card
  • Social security card
  • Temporary driver’s license
  • Swap-meet type I.D. card
  • Check cashing card
  • Any otherwise valid document that is expired, altered, borrowed, stolen, counterfeit, or forged

An establishment may have a company policy that is stricter than the law; e.g. “We accept only California driver’s licenses.”

THE F-L-A-G SYSTEM

Feel

  • Lumps and Bumps – Feel for information cut out or pasted on, especially near the photo and birth date. Minors will alter an I.D. by placing their own photo over the picture and laminating the whole card. Do not accept I.D. cards with unofficial laminations. Do not accept obviously altered I.D. cards.
  • Layers – Real California magnetic stripe identifications are made in three layers. The three layers are bonded with heat so they will not come apart without destroying the card. Insert your fingernail or sharp object into a corner of the card. If the layers separate: the card is fake and you should not accept it.
  • Swipe – Swipe the identification card through a magnetic stripe reader, if you have one. It is a foolproof method to detect a counterfeit I.D.

Look

  • Laminate – Look at the laminate. There are four different official DMV laminates now in use:
    • Polyester (paper like);
    • Hologram with grid lines;
    • Hologram without grid lines; and
    • Polasecure security laminate.
  • Alterations – Look for alterations of the birth date area.
  • Photograph – Minors can alter their hairstyles, eye makeup, and eye color. Therefore, focus on the person’s nose and chin. These features do not change. For people with beards or mustaches, cover the beard or mustache and focus on the nose and ears. If the photo does not closely match the person, do not accept the I.D. Look at which side of the card the photograph is on. On California driver’s licenses, the photograph for minors appears on the right; adults are on the left. People may alter the I.D. card by pasting a new photo on top and laminating over it. Look for thickening in this area.
  • Height and Weight – If they do not reasonably match the person, do not accept the I.D.
  • Date of Birth – Do the math! In many decoy programs, the business is cited because he or she asked for I.D., but failed to calculate the person’s age. Legal age devices can be helpful for busy retail staff.
  • Apparent Age – For you to have a successful defense of a questionable sale, the patron must look like they could be 18 years old. If not, do not accept the I.D. no matter how good it looks.
  • Expiration Date – Do not accept expired I.D. cards. Also, false I.D. cards may have a colon (:) after the word “Expires.” Genuine cards do not have a colon.
  • Typeface – Counterfeits may be done on a typewriter and contain spelling or other errors. If you see this, do not accept the I.D.
  • Signature – A signature on a real California I.D. is smaller than normal size. This is because they are computer generated. The signature on a counterfeit is normal size and signed in blue or black ink. If you see this, do not accept the I.D.

Ask Questions (Use your own judgment)

  • What is your driver license number? Zip code?
  • What month were you born? Year?
  • May I see another piece of I.D. with your name on it? Most people who carry a false I.D. do not carry any other form of I.D. If it is an out of state I.D., ask the person to describe the license plate of their home state. Then, look in the back of the I.D. checking guide to confirm their response.

Give Back

  • If the I.D. passes the feel, look, and ask tests, give it back to the patron and make the sale. If it does not, refuse the sale. Then, either give the I.D. back or seize it, depending on your company’s policy.
  • Assuming your company’s policy is to seize I.D’s and has considered any and all legal issues, here are some suggestions
    • Issue a receipt to the person. Inexpensive books of triplicate receipts are available at office supply stores.
    • Attach a copy of the receipt to the I.D.
    • Keep the third copy of the receipt for your records, with notes about the situation (who, what, when, where and why).
    • Turn the I.D. over to your local police department or sheriff’s office within 24 hours, as required law.