Nationwide tech hiccup interferes with US driver’s license offices

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A nationwide technology problem briefly interrupted services Thursday at state offices that handle driver’s licenses, officials said.

The outage, which lasted from approximately 9:50 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT, was “due to a loss in cloud connectivity,” the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators said.

“This prevented a number of motor vehicle agencies from issuing driver licenses and vehicle titles during the outage,” the group said in a written statement.

The association, based in Arlington, Virginia, maintains a national computer network to allow the exchange of driver’s license information, including driver records.

The cause of the outage was being investigated.

Illinois and Virginia were among states that used social media to say services had been interrupted.

“Every state uses the system to verify a driver’s eligibility for a license and for other critical functions,” the Illinois secretary of state’s office said in an emailed statement.