# Can't take a photo of my Drivers License on my Phone, is this an actual feature? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2021, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374 "2021-04-04T07:29:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/1 "2021-04-04T07:29:30Z")
I needed to take a photo of my Drivers License with REAL ID features for verification purposes. I’m using a two year old Samsung Galaxy but whenever I tried to take a picture of the front my phone would freeze and the photo taken was completely blank, it recorded an image was taken but trying to look up the image on anything results in just a blank image. I wound up having to scan my ID to upload somewhere as a work around. Does anyone know if this is a weird government mandate like how you can’t photocopy money, was it a specific feature of the phone, or is somehow my drivers license have a weird error filter around it? I tried looking it up online and can’t find anyone else with the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/2 "2021-04-04T07:51:30Z")
I likewise couldn’t find anything online. You could test it out if you have another phone and another license -see if you can duplicate the results ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/3 "2021-04-04T07:56:05Z")
I’ve got a Moto g(6), and had no trouble taking a photo of my Oregon drivers license. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/4 "2021-04-04T10:24:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’ve got a Moto g(6), and had no trouble taking a photo of my Oregon drivers license. - Kyocera Duraforce. No trouble with a California license. However, it’s not a Real ID version. Maybe @Asuka’s phone is picking up those specific markings. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/5 "2021-04-04T11:05:14Z")
Moved to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/6 "2021-04-04T12:58:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’ve got a Moto g(6), and had no trouble taking a photo of my Oregon drivers license. Is that a Real ID? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/7 "2021-04-04T13:26:48Z")
We often ask for photo ID to reset passwords. Sometimes it’s a driver’s licence. No one has reported a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/8 "2021-04-04T13:34:12Z")
My phone has photos of all the licenses and passports of everyone in my family - I’ve never had an issue. (at least one ID in the house is a real ID). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/9 "2021-04-04T14:23:40Z")
I have a 2yo Samsung Galaxy S10e. I just took pix of the front & back of my Real ID FL Driver’s license. Pix were completely normal. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/10 "2021-04-04T14:57:40Z")
iPhone 6s, no trouble photographing my Missouri ID\* for my telehealth visit with the doctor who authorized my Missouri Medical Marijuana Card. \*Missouri has steadfastly avoided compliance with REAL ID requirements, to the point that we now have to show a passport to get on a plane, even domestic flights. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/11 "2021-04-04T15:41:06Z")
I thought REAL ID (or passport + regular ID) wasn’t required for flights until Oct of this year. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/12 "2021-04-04T15:42:18Z")
Looking over the Missouri website devoted to this, it appears as if I was wrong, and Missouri is complying or will comply with REAL ID. I can tell you confidently that my DL, issued in 2014, does not qualify. > **[Missouri REAL ID Information](https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/issuance/real-id/)** > > Information you need about Missouri REAL ID ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/13 "2021-04-04T16:08:13Z")
I had no trouble taking a photo of my California RealID license with a OnePlus 6T phone camera. I also had no trouble taking a photo of a $10 bill which has the [EURion Constellation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation) on it which prevents photocopiers from copying it. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/14 "2021-04-04T16:21:34Z")
Also have a moto G fast. Have a REAL ID issued by the state of Indiana. Have taken photos, and just looked at one on my phone. The hologram photographs just fine, the watermark photographs, the scannable pattern on the back looks all right, though I’ve never tried to scan it. It’s a little blurry, and if I tried to print it, it would probably say “copy” all over it, like my college transcript does any time I photocopy it. But the photo looks OK. I have even used apps to photograph it. When I get the license in the frame, it automatically clicks. I don’t have to hit the button. This is my second REAL ID. It was issued a couple of months ago. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/15 "2021-04-04T16:52:39Z")
That would be correct. I was wondering about the “now” part of the post I replied to, as my wife is flying out tomorrow (and hasn’t renewed her passport yet, and doesn’t have a real ID) and I’m flying out in a few weeks (though I have both, but would only typically carry one on me.) I thought maybe you knew something I didn’t, but it looks like we are fine with our old DLs alone until Oct 1, 2021, which is what I had somewhere in my head. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/16 "2021-04-04T18:42:03Z")
And I’m sure the Real ID to fly nonsense will be delayed yet again. To answer the question, I used CamScanner to get a photo of my Illinois Real ID ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/17 "2021-04-04T19:17:35Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Also have a moto G fast. Have a REAL ID issued by the state of Indiana. Have taken photos, and just looked at one on my phone. The hologram photographs just fine, the watermark photographs, the scannable pattern on the back looks all right, though I’ve never tried to scan it. I was thinking about holograms when I saw this thread. While you can see and photograph various types of holograms, that is not the same as being to be easily reproduce it. Hence why they add such things as security features to documents. Your ordinary digital camera is not going to capture details on the order of the wavelength of light. That is not the same thing as appearing as a blank image (like Hollywood Dracula?) though. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/18 "2021-04-04T20:00:27Z")
Oh that’s a good point. Have we confirmed whether the OP is a vampire? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/19 "2021-04-04T20:47:18Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > had no trouble taking a photo of a $10 bill which has the [EURion Constellation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation) on it which prevents photocopiers from copying it. There are a lot of drivers licences with the same thing. I think mine does, but I’ve not found it. Ontario? Belgium? Maybe OP could post a photograph of their drivers licence and we could look? 🙂 Most cameras don’t pay any attention – it’s only the high-end photo-realistic photocopiers that check. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374/20 "2021-04-04T21:12:56Z")
iPhone 7, Virginia REALID license, no visible problem with a plain photo [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-take-a-photo-of-my-drivers-license-on-my-phone-is-this-an-actual-feature/939374.md?page=2)