Yellowknife (Apr 12/06) - NWT drivers will have one of the most secure licences in North America by this summer.

That's what the department of transportation and the designer of the new driver's licences said as they unveiled the new card last week, which features three pictures of your face - a large one on the front with a smaller one to the right and one on the back.

Licence costs New driver's licences can be renewed for one, three, or five years. One year $33 Three years $60 Five years $83.50 Cost to replace card before expiry $18.56. Drivers do not have to renew their licences before the expiry date.

Each picture and a digital version of your signature is traced into the layers of the card using a laser.

The background of the card shows Northern Lights in light pinks, blues, and yellows over two caribou to the right of a snowy forest.

The card does not have a hologram because it is too easy to replicate, said the department of transportation.

The card is made up of a series of poly-carbonate plastic layers, each with special designs and inks to make them difficult to replicate without specialized equipment.

The department said the main reason the cards have to be changed is because they are not tamper proof.

"The (current cards) do not meet new security standards adopted in North America," said NWT Minister of Transportation Michael McLeod.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, were the driving force behind the creation of new NWT driver's licences and identification cards, said the department.

"The security effects of 9/11 are still spreading," said Kevin McLeod, acting administration director of road licensing and safety.

This is the first in 15 years the Department of Transportation has looked at a new licences and identification cards. All 16 licensing offices in the NWT will receive scanning technology to scan the digital copies of signatures and photos.

The total cost of the project is more than $2.5 million.