West Virginia Driver License & ID Card PDF417 API

Decode the PDF417 barcode on West Virginia driver licenses and state ID cards into AAMVA JSON, with document_kind to tell licenses from ID cards.

Reading West Virginia Card Barcodes in Real Workflows

West Virginia casinos and energy employers verify identity in settings with poor lighting, from gaming floors to job trailers. Low contrast is the most common failure. PDF417 error correction recovers some damage, but an application should never invent identity values when the barcode cannot be decoded.

One API for West Virginia Licenses and ID Cards

West Virginia cards are issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Licenses and identification cards carry the same AAMVA DL/ID PDF417 barcode on the back. Send the back image to the StructOCR PDF417 API: it decodes the barcode deterministically, normalizes the jurisdiction to WV, and returns document_kind as driver_license or id_card. Test a non-sensitive sample in the free PDF417 scanner. For the printed front of the card, use the Driver License OCR API.

Where This Workflow Fits

  • Casino guest registration: Pre-fill names, dates, and address for casino guest registration and keep final confirmation in your application.
  • Energy workforce onboarding: Accept both West Virginia licenses and state ID cards, and use document_kind where only a license is acceptable.
  • Rural clinic intake: Send unreadable West Virginia barcodes to a retake or manual review step instead of saving partial identity data.
Need more testing? Create a free account to get 200 free credits (equals 100 Driver License scans).

Decode a West Virginia Card Back

Upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP image of the full card back. Show a live guide frame, block submission when the barcode is cut off, and offer an instant retake after a 422 response.

Prerequisite: A server-side StructOCR API key and a clear image of the complete card back

curl -X POST https://api.structocr.com/v1/driver-license-pdf417 \
  -H "x-api-key: $STRUCTOCR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@west-virginia-card-back.jpg"

Technical Specs

  • •Endpoint: POST https://api.structocr.com/v1/driver-license-pdf417
  • •Document scope: Back of a West Virginia driver license or state ID card with an AAMVA PDF417 record
  • •Inputs: JPG, PNG, or WebP; Base64 JSON or multipart upload; maximum 4.5 MB
  • •Cost: 2 credits for a successful decode; processing failures are refunded
  • •Region output: WV when encoded in a valid West Virginia record; document_kind separates licenses from ID cards
  • •Important: Parsing barcode data does not by itself authenticate the credential or the person presenting it

Key Features

  • •Deterministic source: Returned identity fields come from the decoded barcode payload, not generative guessing.
  • •Retake-safe errors: PDF417_NOT_DECODED and AAMVA_NOT_VALID return explicit 422 responses, with an optional capture_issue hint.
  • •License or ID card: document_kind reports which record the barcode carries; ID cards return null license class, restrictions, and endorsements.
  • •Local demand: Built for casino entry, energy-sector hiring, and rural healthcare.

Illustrative West Virginia ID Card Response

This response uses wholly fictional data to show a WV identification card. A license returns document_kind driver_license and its class fields.

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "type": "drivers_license",
    "document_kind": "id_card",
    "source": "pdf417",
    "country_code": "USA",
    "region": "WV",
    "document_number": "SAMPLE1234",
    "surname": "SAMPLE",
    "given_names": "ALEX MORGAN",
    "first_name": "ALEX",
    "middle_name": "MORGAN",
    "sex": "X",
    "date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
    "date_of_issue": "2025-01-15",
    "date_of_expiry": "2030-01-15",
    "address": "100 EXAMPLE AVE",
    "city": "SAMPLE CITY",
    "postal_code": "00000",
    "vehicle_class": null,
    "restrictions": null,
    "endorsements": null,
    "document_discriminator": "SAMPLE-DISCRIMINATOR",
    "issuer_identification_number": null,
    "aamva_version": 10,
    "jurisdiction_version": 0
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the API read West Virginia state ID cards as well as driver licenses?

Yes, when the back of the card carries a usable AAMVA record. The response sets document_kind to id_card for identification cards and driver_license for licenses.

Does a successful West Virginia decode prove the card is genuine?

No. It proves a usable barcode payload was decoded and parsed. Authenticity, identity, eligibility, and fraud decisions require separate controls.

What should the app do after a 422 response?

Ask for a new photo of the full West Virginia card back in even light, using the capture_issue hint when present. Do not fill missing fields from an uncertain barcode.

You May Also Like

Related tutorials, platform guides, and comparisons

Tutorial

Fix PDF417_NOT_DECODED for Driver License Images

Diagnose PDF417_NOT_DECODED responses from US driver license backs. Improve framing, focus, glare control, resolution, and retake UX.

Driver License
Tutorial

Flask PDF417 Driver License API

Build a compact Python service that decodes US driver license PDF417 barcodes and returns normalized AAMVA JSON with safe retake handling.

Driver License
Country Tutorial

Oregon Driver License OCR: Extract Fields with Python

Extract visible fields from Oregon driver license images into JSON. Map identifiers, names and dates, with a review workflow for incomplete results.

Python · Driver License
Country Tutorial

Wisconsin Driver License OCR: Extract Fields with Python

Extract visible fields from Wisconsin driver license images into JSON. Map identifiers, names and dates, with a review workflow for incomplete results.

Python · Driver License
Tutorial

Minnesota Driver License & ID Card PDF417 API

Decode the PDF417 barcode on Minnesota driver licenses and state ID cards into AAMVA JSON, with document_kind to tell licenses from ID cards.

Driver License
Country Tutorial

Brazil Driver License OCR with Python SDK

Extract structured fields from a Brazil Carteira Nacional de Habilitação (CNH) with the StructOCR Python SDK and FastAPI.

Python · Driver License
Country Tutorial

Australia Driver License OCR with Python SDK

Extract structured fields from a Australia state or territory driver licence with the StructOCR Python SDK and FastAPI.

Python · Driver License
Tutorial

Wisconsin Driver License & ID Card PDF417 API

Decode the PDF417 barcode on Wisconsin driver licenses and state ID cards into AAMVA JSON, with document_kind to tell licenses from ID cards.

Driver License
Country Tutorial

Australia Driver License OCR with Node.js SDK

Extract structured fields from a Australia state or territory driver licence with the StructOCR Node.js SDK and TypeScript + Express.

Node.js · Driver License
Country Tutorial

Brazil Driver License OCR with Node.js SDK

Extract structured fields from a Brazil Carteira Nacional de Habilitação (CNH) with the StructOCR Node.js SDK and TypeScript + Express.

Node.js · Driver License

Technical Comparisons & Integrations

Explore platform integrations and competitive analysis

From tutorial to production in 5 minutes.

You've seen the code. Now get your API key, grab your 200 free credits, and see it work with your own images. No credit card required.

Instant Access Cancel Anytime No Credit Card