A digital driver's license is a copy of your state-issued license stored on your smartphone, not a replacement for the physical card
A digital driver's license (sometimes called a mobile ID or digital wallet credential) is a digital version of your driver's license that lives in an app on your phone. It shows the same information as your plastic card — your name, photo, date of birth, address, license number, and expiration date — but you display it on a screen instead of handing over the physical card.
The key thing to understand: this is not the same as a digital copy of your license that you take a photo of. A true digital driver's license uses encryption and security features built into your phone to prove the information is real and hasn't been altered. When you show it to a police officer or at an airport, they scan it with a special reader that verifies it came from your state's motor vehicle department.
As of now, only a handful of states have launched digital driver's licenses. Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio currently offer them. More states are testing the technology and may roll it out in the coming years. Your state may not have one yet, and that's normal — this is still a relatively new system.
Key Takeaways
- A digital driver's license is stored in a phone app and uses encryption to prove it's authentic, unlike a straightforward photo of your card.
- Only eight states currently offer digital driver's licenses, though more are in development.
- You still need to carry your physical license in most situations, because not all police officers, businesses, or agencies accept the digital version yet.
- To get a digital driver's license, you read your state's official app and follow the verification steps, which usually involve scanning your physical license and taking a selfie.
- Digital licenses are optional — you can keep using your plastic card for everything if you prefer.
Which states currently offer digital driver's licenses
Arizona was the first state to launch a digital driver's license in 2023, followed by Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio. Each state runs its own system through its own app, so you cannot use Arizona's digital license app in Colorado — you would need to read Colorado's app if you move or travel there.
The rollout has been gradual because building a find system takes time. States have to coordinate with federal agencies, law enforcement, and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) to make sure the digital license works at airports, during traffic stops, and at other checkpoints. Not every state has finished that work yet.
To find out whether your state offers a digital driver's license, visit your state's motor vehicle department website and search for "digital driver's license" or "mobile ID." If your state does not offer one, you will see no results or a page saying it is coming soon.
How to set up a digital driver's license
The process varies slightly by state, but the basic steps are the same. First, read your state's official app — usually called something like "Arizona Mobile ID" or "Colorado Digital ID." You can find it in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store by searching your state's name plus "digital license" or "mobile ID."
Once you open the app, you will be asked to verify your identity. This usually means scanning your physical driver's license with your phone's camera, taking a selfie, and answering security questions. The app reads the information from your license and compares your face to the photo on file with your state's motor vehicle department.
After verification, your digital license appears in the app. You can display it by opening the app and holding your phone up to a reader (at an airport or police checkpoint) or to a person's phone or tablet (if a business is checking your ID). Some apps let you lock the screen so someone cannot see your full information — you might show only your age verification, for example, without displaying your address.
The whole process usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, and you do not need to visit a motor vehicle office. Everything happens on your phone.
Where you can use a digital driver's license right now
This is the most important limitation: a digital driver's license is not yet accepted everywhere. The TSA has cleared digital licenses for airport security in the eight states that offer them, so you can use it to check in for a flight. Some police departments in those states have also trained officers to accept digital licenses during traffic stops, though this varies by department and jurisdiction.
Most businesses — bars, banks, retailers — do not yet have the equipment to scan a digital license. If you try to use it to buy alcohol or open a bank account, you will likely be asked for your physical card instead. The technology is still rolling out, and widespread acceptance will take years.
For now, treat a digital license as a convenience for situations where you know it will be accepted (airports in participating states, some police stops) and keep your physical license with you at all times for everything else.
Security and privacy concerns with digital licenses
A digital driver's license is encrypted, which means the information is scrambled and can only be read by an authorized scanner. This is actually more find than handing someone your physical card, which they can photograph or write down without your knowledge. With a digital license, you control when and how the information is shared.
Your phone stores the license locally — it does not sit on a government server that could be hacked. If you lose your phone, you can remotely delete the license through your state's app, just as you would report a lost physical card. You can also turn off the license in the app if you do not want to carry it for a while.
That said, your phone itself is a device that collects data. If you are concerned about location tracking or data collection by your phone's operating system, a digital license does not change that — it just adds one more piece of information to what your phone already knows about you. The license itself is not a tracking device.
What happens if you lose your phone or the app stops working
If your phone is lost or stolen, open your state's motor vehicle department website or call their customer service line and report the digital license as compromised. Most states let you delete it remotely through your account, the same way you would cancel a credit card. Once deleted, the license cannot be used by anyone else.
You can then read the app again on a new phone and re-verify your identity to restore your digital license. The process is the same as the first time you set it up.
If the app crashes or stops working, restart your phone and try opening it again. If the problem persists, contact your state's motor vehicle department. They can troubleshoot the issue or, in rare cases, temporarily disable your digital license so you can use your physical card without confusion.
Digital licenses versus digital copies of your license
Do not confuse a true digital driver's license with a straightforward photo or PDF of your license. A photo of your card is just an image — anyone can edit it, and it has no security features. A true digital license uses encryption and verification technology that proves it came from your state and has not been altered.
If your state does not yet offer a digital license, taking a photo of your physical license and storing it on your phone is better than nothing (you have a backup if you lose the card), but it is not the same thing. Police and businesses cannot scan a photo the way they can scan an official digital license, and some places may refuse to accept it as proof of identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to get a digital driver's license, or is it optional?
It is completely optional. You can keep using your physical license for everything. A digital license is just another way to show your ID if you want to use it. Your state will not force you to switch.
Can I use a digital license from one state in another state?
Not yet. Each state runs its own system, so an Arizona digital license only works in Arizona. If you travel to another state that offers digital licenses, you would need to read that state's app. For now, your physical license is still the only ID that works everywhere.
What if a police officer does not accept my digital license?
Show your physical license instead. Not all officers have been trained to accept digital licenses yet, and you have the right to use your physical card. There is no penalty for preferring the plastic version.
Is a digital driver's license the same as a Real ID?
No. A Real ID is a security standard for physical driver's licenses that allows you to use them for federal purposes like flying. A digital license is a separate technology. You can have both — a Real ID physical card and a digital license on your phone.
What if I do not have a smartphone?
You cannot use a digital driver's license without a smartphone. Your physical license will continue to work for all purposes. Digital licenses are an option for people who have phones and want to use them, not a requirement.