California REAL ID rollout (2019)
California's DMV struggled to roll out new REAL ID cards, with long delays, system errors, and some cards arriving with printing mistakes. The state had contracted with multiple vendors to produce the new cards.
Californians faced long waits and some received incorrect cards, leading to public frustration.
The state eventually resolved the issues, but the rollout became a cautionary tale about government ID production.
Like Michigan's misprint, California's REAL ID issues showed how state ID production depends on vendors and can fail in visible ways.
