Some new Hawaii driver's licenses not scanning at airports

Sep 23, 2026

Hawaii's redesigned driver's licenses are failing to scan at TSA checkpoints and stores, leaving some residents stuck at the airport without backup ID.

  • The new cards rolled out this summer were meant to fix earlier scanning problems, but travelers say the failures are back.
  • A Maui resident says her card has failed at every airport since she got it, and agents asked for a passport she wasn't carrying.
  • She only got through because another agent knew the ID could be entered by hand.
  • The company that makes the licenses says the cards meet industry standards and blames nothing on the design so far.
  • Honolulu officials say they logged only two complaints in September, and residents say no one has told them what to do next.

Outlook: The card vendor is working with TSA and the reader manufacturer to find the cause, so travelers should carry a second form of ID until it's fixed.

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