Denmark introduces mobile driver’s license in latest digital ID push

Danish citizens may now choose between carrying their physical driver’s license and the newly introduced digital driving ID, according to The Local. During traffic checks, users can present their ID in the form of a QR code displayed on their phones. A police officer can then safely scan the code without having to physically access the device. The new digital ID is also considered a valid document for other transactions such as banking.

Currently, the digital license is only available to citizens of Denmark as a Danish passport is required to enroll. Additionally, motorists are still required to carry their physical license when driving abroad, as the new digital ID is currently only approved for use within Denmark.

While the new document makes carrying a physical ID obsolete, it is designed to be a complementary option rather than a replacement. Users are still required to maintain the physical driver’s license as the digital version is valid only as long as the physical one is.

To use this new ID, users must download the ‘Kørekort’ license app on their Android or iOS smartphones and log in via their NemID, Denmark’s secure digital signature for public digital services. The digital ID is the first of its kind in Denmark and was introduced nearly two years after being officially announced by the Danish Digitization Agency in early 2019. It has been created by the agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the National Police, the Ministry of Transport and Housing, and the Danish Transport Authority.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Denmark  |  digital identity  |  driver's license  |  identity document  |  identity verification  |  mobile app  |  smartphones