What do the numbers and letters in my WA drivers license mean?

Question

Does a * indicate whether or not a person is a citizen?

Answer 1

It starts with the first 5 letters of your last name, then your first initial and then middle initial, then the last 2 digits of the year you were born in subtracted from 100. The last three digits I am not sure about. If there is an * somewhere it simply means you do not have a letter to put in that spot. For example, if you did not have a middle intitial, it would be an *.

John Q. Public born in 1972:
PUBLIJQ28XXX

John Public (no middle name) born in 1990:
PUBLIJ*10XXX

Answer 2

Each state has their own system of developing their driver license data. Some use letters as coding for example, single or multi birth, as twins would have the same number in some states, so they use coding to show that the driver has a twin. The information is helpful if one family member uses another's id when being ticketed or booked for a crime.

Answer 3

Adding to Olsen 1420, the last 3 are random numbers/letters. Also, if you were interested, on the side of your picture in small numbers are the time of day your license was issued. That way I could tell if it were fake based on DMV operating times and your picture time!!

Answer 4

Not sure what type of system is used in WA. It's possible that WA uses the Soundex system. It does have a meaning. Mostly it's about your name and date of birth.