More than 1.5 million state residents now have access to their mobile driver’s license. California residents can now upload their driver’s license to their smartphone and take part in the state’s Mobile Driver’s License pilot program.

In collaboration with the State of Maryland and Google, the TSA now accepts Maryland-issued mobile driver’s licenses and ID cards in Google Wallet on Android mobile phones at select TSA airport security checkpoints. TSA PreCheck® passengers will be able to use this new feature at checkpoints for identity verification at 25 participating airports.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles kicked off the mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program back in May with a limited number of participants, but earlier this month, the public was invited to participate.

Mobile driver’s licenses, or mDLs, are digital forms of identification. Michael McCaskill, director of identity management for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, told The Citizen that his organization has been working on mdL-related projects since 2012. Those efforts contributed to the International Organization for Standardization’s adoption of a standard for mDL specifications in 2021. That standard is now being used by states to implement the digital driver’s licenses.

Maryland’s introduction of Google Wallet mobile IDs last month begs the question of if its southern neighbors will follow suit. Here’s what DC and Virginia’s motor vehicle agencies said.

Georgia’s recent implementation of digital IDs in the form of mobile driver’s licenses for iOS smartphones can make it easier for those with mobility challenges to access their identification.

The state has offered access to digital ID for Apple smartphone users for almost two years. Now, those with Android devices will be able to use their state-issued IDs digitally as well.

While the actual technology has been around for years, it’s only recently that the federal government and states are beginning to take steps to implement these for everyday use. That, along with the fact that major tech companies like Apple and Google (in Beta) are providing the ability to store your ID on your phone, means that the use of digital driver’s licenses is on the rise!

IDEMIA Identity and Security (I&S) North America partnered with the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) to launch the Missouri Mobile ID App. State residents can now securely access their digital credentials from a free app either from the Apple App Store or Google Play. With real-time credential updates, verifiers can access the most up-to-date status of the ID, including if it’s been revoked or canceled.

DMVs have long provided organizations and individuals alike with a key identity verification tool in the form of a physical driver’s license. Today, DMVs are facing pressure on how to modernize the role they play in identity verification to meet the needs of an increasingly digital world while at the same time ensuring individual safety, privacy, and convenience.