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MILWAUKEE - Starting this fall, Wisconsin driver's license cards will no longer be printed in Wisconsin.  Instead, the state will outsource the work to a company that will print the cards in California.

The Department of Transportation explained that the change is part of Wisconsin's plan to implement the federal REAL-ID bill that will require more stringent security features for each driver's license card.  By having a contractor print the cards in California, the Wisconsin DOT expects to save approximately $1.5 million. 

Under the new plan, Wisconsin drivers will still go to the DMV office to complete paperwork, have their eyes checked, and have their photograph taken as normal. However, the local DMV office will only issue a printed paper receipt that can be used while the actual printed license card is being manufactured in California.  The temporary paper receipt will have a driver's photo on it and can be used as identification at the airport or to vote, the DOT said.

Patrick Fernan, the operations manager for the DOT explained that Wisconsin jobs will not be lost because of the outsourcing.  "It only takes about two hours a day of one person’s time to produce all of the Wisconsin products. So there are no jobs involved. And if we were going to establish a facility solely in Wisconsin, it would cost more that $2 million dollars to build the plant that would only be in operation for about 10 hours a week.

Fernan also reassured drivers about having their personal information sent through the mail by saying,  "just like a passport comes through the mail - credit cards come through the mail. Driver's licenses coming through the mail - there have not been any reported issues in other states of widespread problems."