The newer style MO drivers licenses have a field called ISS for the issue date. The old style MO drivers license has a string of numbers vertically along the photo that are encoded with the issue date. From top to bottom, the first two digits are the year and the 6,7,and 8th digests are the day of the year (Julian date). Example: 124732770053. The year is 2012 and the 277th day of that year is October 3. So that's 10/3/2012. Just Google for "Julian date" to translate the Julian date. Please note that there is a separate chart for Leap years.
Most driver license are good for 5 yrs as long as u haven't had to get a duplicate card do to loss or theft then the issue date is 5 yrs be expiration ex expires in 12 20 2017 issue date could be 12 20 2012
Missouri has NEVER had an issue date, but they are good for 6 years if you are 21-69 years old. If you are over 69, they are only good for 3 years.My best guess would be the issue date is 6 years prior to expiration. I worry about this though as the DL's expire on your birthday and I didnt get my drivers license issued on my birthday.
My MO DL does have an issue date which represents the actual date I was at the DMV. However, my wife's MO DL does not have an issue date.
My wife's DL has an iss date. Mine does not. If I use the coded Julian date by the picture per the answer above this one I get 3 days before my birthday, 6 years before the exp date. Hers is similar. A few weeks before her birthday 6 year before the exp date. So even though the DL expires on your birthday the issue date may not be the same date.