August 26, 2025
Introducing DMV checks: License verification to fight fraud
What worked five years ago – basic document checks and static risk rules – isn't equipped for a world where AI can effortlessly forge identities and obscure crucial details. Deepfakes, synthetic identities, and manipulated documents are being created efficiently at scale.
That’s why we continue to evolve our anti-fraud tooling so that you have leading tools that automate document verification, validate authenticity with reliable data sources, and step-up authentication for higher risk users.
Introducing Plaid's DMV Checks: Defense Against AI-Generated Fraud
We're excited to announce an enhancement to our Identity Verification (IDV) solution: DMV checks. Our new DMV check functionality allows you to directly verify driver's license information against authoritative DMV databases.
This integration leverages the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), a non-profit organization that works as an information clearinghouse, based on data from DMVs across the U.S.
Here's how it elevates your defenses:
Defense-in-Depth: DMV checks integrate seamlessly into Plaid's multi-layered fraud defense strategy, working alongside features like enhanced capture integrity, upgraded detection models, facial deduplication, and age estimation. This added layer helps catch sophisticated attempts that might bypass initial checks.
Comprehensive Data Validation: We now give you the option to verify metadata pulled off a drivers license against DMV data in 44 US states. This includes information such as name, address, driver's license number, and issuance/expiration dates. But it doesn’t stop there – we also verify in-depth data like eye color and height, as reported to the DMV.
Outsmarting Synthetic Identities: By confirming these detailed attributes directly with the DMV, we make it significantly harder for fraudsters to get through using synthetic identities. This direct connection with the issuing source ensures a higher level of authenticity for the driver's license.
How to leverage DMV checks today
The DMV check is an advanced step-up feature within our IDV solution. All sessions going through documentary verification can have the driver’s license information checked directly against DMV databases.
You will now see a new option to “require AAMVA check” in your templates, listed under "DMV/Secretary of State Validation" in the Workflow tab.
Enhance your fraud defenses
The battle against fraud is continuous, and the tools to fight it must evolve even faster. With the introduction of DMV checks, Plaid is reinforcing our commitment to providing our clients with the most advanced and robust identity verification solutions available.
Ready to add this powerful new layer to your fraud defense strategy? Enable DMV checks today.
Want to learn more about Plaid's identity verification solution? Let's chat.