Private businesses scanning driver license

[ErnieP]

Recently I have noticed several businesses, specifically one hospital and a bank, that want to scan your driver's license. What information can they get by doing this? Is there any CHL information included on renewed DLs after getting a CHL?

Specifically, when entering a hospital on business, the hospital now requires your DL be scanned. Then, you get a Visitor Pass that displays your picture which was captured from the DL. The guard escorting me said the new policy was to keep sex offenders out of the hospital....he then chuckles....and notes that "of course those people come through the front doors, and do not have to get a pass.

The second situation was when cashing a check, the bank required a scan of the DL. Same questions as to what information is included on the DL?

[frazzled]

If they want to scan my ID then I do not have to do business there, and will loudly tell them so.

[Keith B]

Recently I have noticed several businesses, specifically one hospital and a bank, that want to scan your driver's license. What information can they get by doing this? Is there any CHL information included on renewed DLs after getting a CHL?

Specifically, when entering a hospital on business, the hospital now requires your DL be scanned. Then, you get a Visitor Pass that displays your picture which was captured from the DL. The guard escorting me said the new policy was to keep sex offenders out of the hospital....he then chuckles....and notes that "of course those people come through the front doors, and do not have to get a pass.

The second situation was when cashing a check, the bank required a scan of the DL. Same questions as to what information is included on the DL?

The two scenarios you mentioned are valid to me. If you are there on a business call, i.e. repair of equipment or other type of sales call, then you may have access to areas and information that the standard person might not have. That is a requirement of working for them, even as a contracted repair person or other job function. I think the sex-offender thing is just a security person joking and not the sole intention of the documenting of the drivers license.

For the bank, for years they have written down drivers license numbers on check before cashing them, and not they just have to scan it.

And no, they are not able to get CHL information from the run, only law enforcement can get that from your drivers license number.

Edit to add: And if a hospital or store or some other business asks me to show a drivers license to do anything non-monetary or work related, then I will NOT be doing business with them.

[Dave01]

Many years ago when I lived in New York State, there was a grocery store chain that required scanning of your DL for the purchase of alcohol. Their system was set up to read your birth date off the magnetic strip. This removed the subjectivity from the cashier in regard to deciding which individuals to card. Everyone, regardless of age, had to have their card scanned or the transaction would not go through. I guess if you didn't have a DL you couldn't buy there. I never asked though.

As with the OP, I would also like to know what information is actually on that strip. If it is simply an electronic version of the information printed on the card, then it may be no big deal.

Dave

[PBratton]

The magstripe has all the data that is printed on the front of the card, minus the imagery.

Many coprorations have a 'Visitor Tracking' software that allows them to track who is entering the non-public areas of their facilities. For the most part, they capture the name and photo on the ID.

Depending on the facility you are entering, some may be checking your name against the DHS no-fly list or a corporate 'Black' list.

It is certainly your choice to provide ID or not in these cases, but entry into certain areas can, and in most cases, will be denied.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Public schools also have a scanning system for DL's and
I believe that it is to scan a database of sex offenders.

Does anyone know what this system is called, and just
exactly what data the school people are able to see?

Does it just give a thumbs up (not a sex offender in the
database) when you are able to visit a child or do business
at the school?

SIA

[5thGenTexan]

Only places I have had this requested has been banks or doing credit card purchases. Not too worked about banks prefer it to the old give us a thumb print if you dont have an account there a little more worrisome at some stores especially the smaller ones Loke tiny convienance stores that might have a Swiss cheese security system on their servers.

[UpTheIrons]

Public schools also have a scanning system for DL's and
I believe that it is to scan a database of sex offenders.

Does anyone know what this system is called, and just
exactly what data the school people are able to see?

Does it just give a thumbs up (not a sex offender in the
database) when you are able to visit a child or do business
at the school?

SIA

Seguin ISD uses it, too. Here, I got scanned the first time I visited after they implemented it. Eversince, I just give my name, and the software prints out a pass. Of course, I'm there rather often, usually "in uniform" (clerical garb), and I know the gal at the front desk pretty well.

It is the Raptor Technologies, Inc. V-Soft System.
Here's a link: http://www.irvingisd.net/ppage/FAQ-Rapt ... logies.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And FAQ #1:
1. How does the system work?
Our visitors present a valid state or government issued photo identification card to the school’s receptionist. This ID is scanned into the V-Soft system and the personal information from the ID is cross-referenced against names of Registered Sexual Offenders (RSO) in a database maintained by Raptor Technologies, Inc. Within moments, the receptionist will know if the visitor is an RSO. If this is the case, then guidelines are in place to positively engage the visitor and consider the validity of the request to visit the school. If this is not the case, then the V-Soft system will print out a visitor’s pass which includes the person’s name, photo, date of visit, and destination within the building.


Edit: fixed the company name.

[PUCKER]

Some places will also scan it for temporary private club membership (ie - restaurant in a dry area) so they can legally serve you an alcoholic beverage.

[Tamie]

It is certainly your choice to provide ID or not in these cases, but entry into certain areas can, and in most cases, will be denied.

It's their perrogatve if they want to refuse service under warranty.

[AEA]

If you buy ammo online from ammoman you have to send a scan of your driver's license to prove you are who you say you are and your legal age.

I don't remember if I had to do the same for ammunition to go, but probably so.

[HankB]

If you buy ammo online from ammoman you have to send a scan of your driver's license to prove you are who you say you are and your legal age.

Their web page says you have to.

I didn't, and still got my ammo.

I guess I have an honest name.

[srothstein]

When i first read the thread, I thought the people were reading the magnetic strip on the DL. There is a law on who can do this and what is in it (Transportation Code 521.126 - click to read it). Basically the magnetic strip contains only what is printed on the license plus any other parts that make a physical description of the holder (weight and eye color for example). There are limited uses, and three of those mentioned here are permitted (alcoholic beverage, school, hospital) but banks are not legally allowed to.

Then I saw the link to the V-soft page on how it works and I realized they are actually scanning the DL with a scanner. This makes the whole section I referred to, especially the limits on who can do it, invalid. With decent quality optical character recognition software, all of the information could be captured that way, and the picture could be cropped from the scan and saved also.

It does raise some interesting possibilities in my mind.

[PBratton]

When i first read the thread, I thought the people were reading the magnetic strip on the DL. There is a law on who can do this and what is in it (Transportation Code 521.126 - click to read it). Basically the magnetic strip contains only what is printed on the license plus any other parts that make a physical description of the holder (weight and eye color for example). There are limited uses, and three of those mentioned here are permitted (alcoholic beverage, school, hospital) but banks are not legally allowed to.

Then I saw the link to the V-soft page on how it works and I realized they are actually scanning the DL with a scanner. This makes the whole section I referred to, especially the limits on who can do it, invalid. With decent quality optical character recognition software, all of the information could be captured that way, and the picture could be cropped from the scan and saved also.

It does raise some interesting possibilities in my mind.

We do use the optical scanner, however, if you read the section below, it ways that I could read the mag stripe if I wanted to:

The prohibition provided by Subsection (b)(1) does not apply to a financial institution or a business if the information is accessed and used only for purposes of identification verification of an individual or check verification at the point of sale for a purchase of a good or service by check.

[jordanmills]

I was with a buddy and bought beer at Target near Kemah. They scanned the mag stripe on his TXDL. My magstripe never works. Probably has something to do with my job involving tape erasers and other magnetic tools