Nationwide tech hiccup interferes with U.S. driver’s license offices

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A nationwide technology problem briefly interrupted services Thursday at state offices that process 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 of cloud connectivity,” according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

“This prevented a number of motor vehicle agencies from issuing driver’s 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 facilitate the exchange of driver’s license information, including driver data.

The cause of the malfunction is 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 driver’s license and other critical positions,” the Illinois Secretary of State said in an emailed statement.