Arguably the most common of form of ID, driver’s licenses are used any time we need to confirm who we are (and more often than not, how old we are). Drivers license barcodes, along with newly updated license designs, began rolling out in May 2016 in Illinois. More on state to state variation below.

What kind of barcodes are on the back of a driver’s license?

If you take a look at the backside of your ID, you’ll find a rectangular black and white pattern known as a PDF417 barcode.

It may not look like your standard barcode, but that PDF417 code contains all the information on the front of your driver’s license or state ID in a single code.

A micro PDF417 is a type of 2D barcode that is capable of storing much more information than the standard 1D code. You may be familiar with QR Codes that you’ve scanned with your phone. Both are types of 2D codes that can be read with a 2D Imager barcode scanner.

Best Barcode Scanners for Driver’s License Verification

Many businesses are using a 2D imager like the AirTrack S2 to quickly verify your age or capture basic info from your driver’s license rather than manually checking ID.

Scanners made specifically for driver’s license verification have many benefits:

• Fast capture, so you keep the line moving in the grocery or convenience store
• 100% accuracy in verification, sidestepping errors from manual ID checks at checkout
• Protection from fraudulent and fake driver’s licenses

While not every state organizes the information contained in ID barcodes the exact same way, the advantage is that criminals cannot change the information in the barcode.

This makes it extremely difficult to create a fake drivers license barcode without knowing exactly how each state encodes the data.

If the barcode isn’t created properly, it won’t read properly.

With the AirTrack S2 scanner, you can scan the code on the back of a driver’s licenses from any state to verify someone’s age quickly and accurately. This is due to the scanner’s ability to parse all the data correctly for you.

The parsing software on the scanner outputs the data you need, in the order you need it, regardless of what state you are dealing with. It’s actually faster than looking at the ID.

Another ID verification scanner we offer is the Honeywell 1400g, with models specifically designed to read PDF417 codes quickly and accurately. Corded and wireless options are available, so you can verify IDs at both the checkout counter or live event.

Avoid Fraud, Errors, and Lost Revenue

Given how simple and cost-effective 2D scanners are to get up and running, every storefront selling age restricted products should have a 2D scanner for age verification/customer info.

Related: Discount Store Case Study

With a simple scan, you avoid fraudulent ID usage and save your business from legal issues, errors, and lost revenue.

Browse our full collection of driver’s license barcode scanners and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about the best 2D imagers for your business.

When it comes to getting a scanner for loyalty apps in a retail store. You need a scanner that is reliable enough to scan off of smartphones and have omnidirectional reading to scan in any directions. The Airtrack S2 QR code scanner can do it all, this affordable and ease of use solution can be the scanner that your retail store needs.

That is why Haagen Dazs, the well known ice cream brand, trusted in Airtrack for their national scanner rollout for their new loyalty app. Barcodes worked with Haagen Dazs and their POS provider figured out how to program the popular Airtrack S2 for their retail stores. The Airtrack S2 barcode scanner provides a fast, precise, and reliable scan from barcodes that are displayed on products or on smartphone screens.

The popularity of reading barcodes off smartphones and loyalty cards have increased over the years and have been spreading across all market segments of the data capturing industry. The Airtrack S2 barcode scanner can help your business futureproof your scanning technology and optimize scanning capabilities with QR and other barcodes. Contact Barcodes today to find out how you can advance you point of sale solution and take the advantage to lower cost of ownership and greater product reliability over time.

Arguably the most common of form of ID, driver’s licenses are used any time we need to confirm who we are and more often than not, how old we are. If you take a look at the backside of your ID you’ll find a rectangular black and white pattern know as a PDF417 barcode. It may not look like your standard barcode but that PDF417 code contains all the information on the front of your ID in a single code.

PDF417 is a type of 2D barcode that is capable of storing much more information than the standard 1D code you find on products at the grocery store. You may be familiar with QR Codes that you’ve scanned with your phone. Both are types of 2D codes that can be read with a 2D Imager barcode scanner.

Many businesses are using the barcode on your ID and a 2D Imager like the AirTrack S2 to quickly verify your age or capture your basic info to make signing up for a service quicker. The only real snag with the barcode on your license is that every state doesn’t organize the information in the code the same way. The advantage here is that you cannot change the information in the barcode and to create a fake one requires knowing exactly how each state encodes the data.
If the barcode isn’t created properly, it won’t read properly.

With the AirTrack S2 scanner you can scan the code on the back of a driver’s licenses from any state to verify someone’s age quickly and accurately due to the scanner’s ability to parse all the data correctly for you. Since each state organizes the data differently the parsing software on the scanner outputs the data you need, in the order you need it, regardless of what state you are dealing with. It’s actually faster than looking at the ID.

Given how simple it is to get up and running, not using a scanner for age verification/customer info just doesn’t add up anymore. With a simple scan you can completely avoid fraudulent ID usage and save your business from legal issues, errors, and lost revenue.

The County of Greenwood (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department is to provide for the safety and protection of the citizens and businesses of Greenwood County through proven full service law enforcement practices, including both reactive and proactive responses to criminal activity, to ensure that public interests and constitutionally guaranteed liberties are protected and that the judicial process is followed according to law. In order to provide the best data to their patrol officers, they needed a way to scan a driver’s license and look up any associated records from out in the field.

Barcodes, Inc. recommended the AirTrack S2 to scan the 2D barcodes off of driver’s licenses. The S2 is a fast, precise and nimble barcode scanner that offers omnidirectional reading and is rugged enough to withstand repeated drops from 5 feet to concrete. Since most driver’s licenses are equipped with both 1D and 2D barcodes, the S2 is ideal for its ability to read both symbologies. Additionally, the S2 can be configured to parse specific driver’s license information based on what data the patrol office wants to capture (i.e. name, driver’s license number, address, birthdate, etc.). The data is then parsed into the department’s software program to look up information on the individual, such as previous records, outstanding warrants, and other information. In order to protect their investment, the Sheriff’s department invested in AirTrack service contracts to protect their devices from defects and normal wear and tear.

To learn more about AirTrack, our Government solutions, or driver’s license parsing, contact one of our representatives.

The State of Louisiana reached out to Barcodes, Inc. in need of a way to track specimen samples for their Department of Health and Hospitals. Their biggest concern was that the labels on the specimen samples were not water resistant and the labels either eroded or the content on the labels became unreadable. They wanted a barcode printer to print low volume barcode labels on demand as needed. The State of Louisiana also needed a barcode reader to scan the barcodes off of the specimen samples.

Barcodes, Inc. recommended the AirTrack DP-1 desktop barcode printer for their printing needs. The DP-1 is ideal for low-volume printing and locations with limited counter space. Additionally, Barcodes supplied the State of Louisiana with custom waterproof labels and the AirTrack S2 barcode scanners that were necessary to read 2D barcodes off of the specimen labels.

The State of Louisiana has been so impressed with the AirTrack brand that is will be deploying the AirTrack IP-1 industrial printer to some of their high volume facilities. For more information on AirTrack barcoding devices call one of our representatives.

PCA is a commercial printing services company that was looking for a barcode scanner to read 2D QR codes in order to print marketing flyers on demand for their customers. In addition to requiring an imager barcode scanner PCA wanted to allow their users to scan a barcode and go to the next field within their software application, rather than having an employee manually hit enter on a keyboard.

Barcodes, Inc. recommended the AirTrack S2 as their go-to barcode scanner. Not only was the S2 reasonably priced, but its performance was exactly what PCA needed. Furthermore, Barcodes, Inc. ensured the barcode scanner was programmed with a carriage return prior to shipping, which eliminated the need for PCA users to hit the enter button after every scan. PCA’s productivity skyrocketed by printing quicker and wasting less of their employees’ time.

For more information about the AirTrack S2 or Barcodes, Inc.’s professional services contact one of our representatives.

A nationally recognized labor union was searching for a way to automate their voter registration process and increase registrations. Historically, labor workers had to fill out a manual form to get registered to vote. This time-consuming process resulted in a low voter registration across the United States, including Nevada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and others. Barcodes, Inc. was able to recommend the AirTrack S2 as their new voter registration scanner. The S2 features a 2D imager scan engine, lightweight design, and is able to withstand repeated drops from 5 feet onto a concrete surface.

The labor union was satisfied with Barcodes, Inc.’s scanner recommendation and even more impressed that Barcodes was able to configure the devices before shipping in order to read a barcode off of an individual’s driver’s license and parse only the information required and into their software program, thus saving both the union and the individual a lot of time. The labor union’s voter registration spiked, their accountability of registrations improved, and their start-to-finish registration process time decreased immensely.

For more information about our AirTrack barcode scanners, contact one of our representatives.

AirTrack has entered the barcode scanner market with the S1 1D linear scanner and a full 2D area imager with the S2. Designed with a focus on high performance at an affordable cost, the S1 and S2 are the perfect solutions for retail, manufacturing, and logistic applications. Both scanners are corded models and are available as complete USB kits with stand and cable.

AirTrack S1
Multi-Purpose 1D Linear imager

• Reads linear or most 1D barcodes
• Wide angle scanning
• Laser-like thin, extended scan line
• Green Spot technology for good-read feedback
• Reduced operator stress with LED-based aiming system
• IP42 water and particulate sealing rating
• Withstands repeated drops from 5 feet onto a concrete surface

AirTrack S2
High Performance 2D Are Imager

• Reads linear or 2D barcodes off of smartphones and loyalty cards
• Omnidirectional reading
• Green Spot technology for good-read feedback
• Reduced operator stress with LED-based aiming system
• IP42 water and particulate sealing rating
• Withstands repeated drops from 5 feet onto a concrete surface
• Advanced motion tolerance optics