Ohio BMV restricts Puerto Rican birth certificates

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ohio won’t issue driver licenses based on older birth certificates from Puerto Rico, even though the U.S. territory says they’re valid until Sept. 30.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles says because of the risk of identity fraud it’s accepting only Puerto Rican birth certificates printed since the beginning of this year, with new security features.

By the end of September, all Puerto Ricans born on the island are expected to have the new birth certificates. All those issued previously were voided as of July 1.

Some Puerto Rico natives say the Ohio BMV’s policy has left them in license limbo.

Agency spokeswoman Lindsay Komlanc says license bureaus will accept other documentation from Puerto Rican customers such as a Social Security card.