ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	Overview As used in this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our,” “ImageWare,” “ImageWare Systems,” “Company” or “our Company” refers to ImageWare Systems, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. ImageWare Systems, Inc. is incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Company is a pioneer and leader in the emerging market for biometrically enabled software-based identity management solutions. Using those human characteristics that are unique to us all, the Company creates software that provides a highly reliable indication of a person’s identity. The Company’s “flagship” product is the patented IWS Biometric Engine®. The Company’s products are used to manage and issue secure credentials, including national IDs, passports, driver licenses and access control credentials. The Company’s products also provide law enforcement with integrated mug shot, fingerprint LiveScan and investigative capabilities. The Company also provides comprehensive authentication security software using biometrics to secure physical and logical access to facilities or computer networks or internet sites. Biometric technology is now an integral part of all markets the Company addresses, and all the products are integrated into the IWS Biometric Engine. Recent Developments In May 2019, the Company completed a registered direct offering of 5,954,545 shares of its common stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”) at a price of $1.10 per share, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $6,550,000. Net proceeds to the Company were approximately $6,095,000 after recognition of offering expenses. Liquidity, Going Concern and Management’s Plan Historically, our principal sources of cash have included customer payments from the sale of our products, proceeds from the issuance of common and preferred stock and proceeds from the issuance of debt. Our principal uses of cash have included cash used in operations, product development, and payments relating to purchases of property and equipment. We expect that our principal uses of cash in the future will be for product development, including customization of identity management products for enterprise and consumer applications, further development of intellectual property, development of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) capabilities for existing products as well as general working capital and capital expenditure requirements. Management expects that, as our revenue grows, our sales and marketing and research and development expenses will continue to grow, albeit at a slower rate and, as a result, we will need to generate significant net revenue to achieve and sustain income from operations. Going Concern At June 30, 2019, we had positive working capital of approximately $3,482,000. Our principal sources of liquidity at June 30, 2019 consisted of approximately $6,734,000 of cash and cash equivalents. Considering the Common Stock financing completed in May 2019, as well as our projected cash requirements, and assuming we are unable to generate incremental revenue, our available cash may be insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements for the next twelve months from the date of this filing. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. To address our working capital requirements, management may seek additional equity and/or debt financing through the issuance of additional debt and/or equity securities or may seek strategic or other transactions intended to increase shareholder value. There are currently no formal committed financing arrangements to support our projected cash shortfall, including commitments to purchase additional debt and/or equity securities, or other agreements, and no assurances can be given that we will be successful in raising additional debt and/or equity securities, or entering into any other transaction that addresses our ability to continue as a going concern. In view of the matters described in the preceding paragraph, recoverability of a major portion of the recorded asset amounts shown in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet is dependent upon continued operations of the Company, which, in turn, is dependent upon the Company’s ability to continue to raise capital and generate positive cash flows from operations. However, the Company operates in markets that are emerging and highly competitive. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain additional capital, operate at a profit or generate positive cash flows in the future. These condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts and classifications of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Overview

As used in this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our,” “ImageWare,” “ImageWare Systems,” “Company” or “our Company” refers to ImageWare Systems, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. ImageWare Systems, Inc. is incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Company is a pioneer and leader in the emerging market for biometrically enabled software-based identity management solutions. Using those human characteristics that are unique to us all, the Company creates software that provides a highly reliable indication of a person’s identity. The Company’s “flagship” product is the patented IWS Biometric Engine®. The Company’s products are used to manage and issue secure credentials, including national IDs, passports, driver licenses and access control credentials. The Company’s products also provide law enforcement with integrated mug shot, fingerprint LiveScan and investigative capabilities. The Company also provides comprehensive authentication security software using biometrics to secure physical and logical access to facilities or computer networks or internet sites. Biometric technology is now an integral part of all markets the Company addresses, and all the products are integrated into the IWS Biometric Engine.

Recent Developments

In May 2019, the Company completed a registered direct offering of 5,954,545 shares of its common stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”) at a price of $1.10 per share, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $6,550,000. Net proceeds to the Company were approximately $6,095,000 after recognition of offering expenses.

Liquidity, Going Concern and Management’s Plan

Historically, our principal sources of cash have included customer payments from the sale of our products, proceeds from the issuance of common and preferred stock and proceeds from the issuance of debt. Our principal uses of cash have included cash used in operations, product development, and payments relating to purchases of property and equipment. We expect that our principal uses of cash in the future will be for product development, including customization of identity management products for enterprise and consumer applications, further development of intellectual property, development of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) capabilities for existing products as well as general working capital and capital expenditure requirements. Management expects that, as our revenue grows, our sales and marketing and research and development expenses will continue to grow, albeit at a slower rate and, as a result, we will need to generate significant net revenue to achieve and sustain income from operations.

Going Concern

At June 30, 2019, we had positive working capital of approximately $3,482,000. Our principal sources of liquidity at June 30, 2019 consisted of approximately $6,734,000 of cash and cash equivalents.

Considering the Common Stock financing completed in May 2019, as well as our projected cash requirements, and assuming we are unable to generate incremental revenue, our available cash may be insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements for the next twelve months from the date of this filing. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. To address our working capital requirements, management may seek additional equity and/or debt financing through the issuance of additional debt and/or equity securities or may seek strategic or other transactions intended to increase shareholder value. There are currently no formal committed financing arrangements to support our projected cash shortfall, including commitments to purchase additional debt and/or equity securities, or other agreements, and no assurances can be given that we will be successful in raising additional debt and/or equity securities, or entering into any other transaction that addresses our ability to continue as a going concern.

In view of the matters described in the preceding paragraph, recoverability of a major portion of the recorded asset amounts shown in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet is dependent upon continued operations of the Company, which, in turn, is dependent upon the Company’s ability to continue to raise capital and generate positive cash flows from operations. However, the Company operates in markets that are emerging and highly competitive. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain additional capital, operate at a profit or generate positive cash flows in the future.

These condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts and classifications of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.