Digital Driver’s Licenses Expand
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Maryland has become the first state to offer digital licenses and IDs for both Apple and Android devices. At least 17 states allow for digital licenses.
Maryland digital IDs can now be created and stored in Google Wallet.
On June 1, Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration announced its state-issued Mobile ID would be the first digital driver’s license and ID in Google Wallet. Last year, MVA made its Mobile ID available in the Apple Wallet, following a digital driver’s license pilot conducted by the Department of Transportation.
Google smartphone users running Android 8 or higher can apply for an Android version of the Mobile ID by first downloading it from the Google app store. Users then take a short video of themselves as well as pictures of the front and back of their driver’s license or state ID and upload the images to the app. Google shares the information on the physical driver’s license and a facial image from the video with MVA. After the identity is authenticated, an encrypted Maryland Mobile ID will appear in the users’ Google Wallet.
The digital ID will be accepted at select Transportation Security Administration airport PreCheck checkpoints.
Only those with a valid Maryland-issued driver’s license or ID can get a Mobile ID. The digital credential “serves as a companion to a physical driver’s license or ID,” which drivers are still required to carry, state officials said in the announcement.
Like the Mobile ID in the Apple Wallet, digital IDs created and stored in the Google Wallet are encrypted and rely on the biometric authentication features of smartphones for additional security. The Mobile ID allows users to share only the personal information they choose to.
Several states have adopted digital driver’s licenses, including Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Utah, but Maryland is the first state to offer digital licenses and IDs in both the Apple and Google Wallets. Officials say that mobile ID options enhance security and privacy for ID holders.
“Innovation and technology are keys to building a transportation system that’s more equitable, accessible and safe for all Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Maryland Mobile ID is a tool that puts more convenience in the hands of our customers.”