The Central Electoral Board (JCE) is awaiting to resolve legal matters to open the winning proposal for the new ID cards (cedula) in the Dominican Republic that was impugned by competitors. The JCE is in charge of the civil registry in the Dominican Republic.
As it stands, only one company passed the final phase, Americo Rodriguez, director of ID for the JCE told Despierta con CDN on Channel 37, as reported in El Caribe. The JCE had said the ID process would begin this fall, but it is delayed by the legal dispute.
Rodriguez explained that all claims by competitors had to be submitted by 12 August 2025 and this will be studied and decided upon for a new date for the opening of the only accepted proposal.
Most IDs in the Dominican Republic expired in 2023, with the JCE issuing a temporary validation for their use.
The Dominican Republic is about to launch a new national ID card made from polycarbonate and equipped with a cryptographic chip and digital identity capabilities, marking a significant step forward in personal identification technology.
The new design replaces the current plastic card introduced in 2014 and incorporates state-of-the-art security features, including biometric controls and encrypted data protection. According to JCE (Central Electoral Board) officials, the initiative meets international standards set by ISO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which has also provided technical guidance.
The embedded chip will store critical personal information, such as a digital signature, travel credentials, and other identity-related data. It also allows for optional information—like medical allergies or organ donor status—to be stored digitally, though not printed on the physical card.
JCE authorities say the overhaul is driven by two key concerns: outdated technology and the urgent need to reinforce legal and digital security. Johnny Rivera, director of IT at the JCE, warned that the current ID model is vulnerable to counterfeiting. “We’ve dismantled illegal labs dedicated to falsifying the current card,” Rivera revealed, noting that equipment to replicate the old plastic card is readily available on the open market.
He also pointed out issues faced by Dominicans living abroad. “In some countries, they no longer accept the expired ID since 2023,” he said. The national ID’s legal validity was originally set at 10 years — an expiration that has now passed.
The project comes with an estimated price tag of RD$6 billion (roughly US$100 million), sparking public debate. However, Rivera insists the amount should be seen as a long-term investment. “Each card costs about ten dollars with the full infrastructure, and the return on investment will be excellent,” he argued, highlighting how digital signatures can dramatically cut administrative costs and reduce the need for physical paperwork.
The JCE has said the goal is to start issuing cards by November 2025.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
13 August 2025