HONOLULU, Hawaii: There is a change coming to the way identification cards are issued in the Aloha State, but it is not expected to have a noticeable affect on the process, as far as applicants are concerned.

The following news release is from the Hawaii state Department of the Attorney General:

Effective July 9, 2012, the Department of the Attorney General is changing the issuance of State ID cards from an “over the counter” issuance to a “central issuance” system.

Central issuance does not affect the application process or any other requirements for obtaining a State ID card. Applicants will continue to apply at the State ID Office located in downtown Honolulu or at the Governor Liaison Offices in Hilo, Kona, Maui, and Kauai. If the applicant provides the necessary documents and fee, the applicant will receive a temporary “paper” ID which includes the applicant’s photograph. The actual ID card will then be produced and issued at a secured central issuance facility and mailed to the applicant. The ID will be mailed in a form that will not suggest or reveal its contents.

The primary purpose of this change is to prevent people from fraudulently obtaining identification cards, either by using the identity of another person or using a fictitious identity. Central issuance protects against fraudulent activities by allowing for additional security checks before the final identification card is issued. It also ensures that Hawaii complies with rules provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security. These rules require protecting the equipment and supplies that are used to produce identification cards, when those cards may be used to enter federally controlled facilities (e.g., courthouses, federal buildings, etc.) and to board federally regulated commercial aircraft (e.g., any commercial air carrier).