West Virginia mDL now available in app from Idemia, more rollouts on the way

Residents of West Virginia can now download their mobile driver’s license to a new app on their Apple or Android device to carry out interactions secured by encryption and biometrics with government and private entities, with a launch by Idemia Public Security North America.

The West Virginia mID (mobile ID) app was launched in collaboration with the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It complies with ISO/IEC 18013-5, and can be used for age verification and digital identity checks including at airports, according to the announcement.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ran field tests of the mDL last year to ensure state residents can use it to pass through airport security checks at select PreCheck locations.

“I’m excited that we have worked with West Virginia to bring their residents an efficient and contactless alternative to physical IDs,” says Donnie Scott, CEO of Idemia Public Security North America. “It is also secure as only mobile ID holders can unlock their app using their biometrics or a personal six-digit pin, ensuring exclusive access. Even better users have full control over when and with whom they share their information, giving them more privacy compared to traditional physical credentials. They can decide to share complete personal information, or for example, just their birth date when making an age-restricted purchase.”

The app is available now from Apple App Store or Google Play, and West Virginia mDLs are expected to be available on digital wallets from OEMs in the future.

Idemia also says more U.S. states will launch mDLs built by the company in 2025.

State-issued mDLs are not only growing in number, but also coalescing into an ecosystem, with Georgia joining the Digital Trust Service (DTS) from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).

Georgia is the fifth state to join the DTS, following Utah, Colorado, Virginia and Maryland. The DTS PKI system was launched in April, and Credence ID integrated it in August to facilitate easy digital identity verification.

Georgia added support for Samsung Wallet to its mDL in October.

Illinois is legally mandated to begin issuing mDLs on Wednesday, January 1, but the Secretary of State’s Office has given no indication it is ready to do so.

mDL rollouts accelerated over the course of 2024, both within the United States and around the world, and the publication of the ISO18013-7 standard for online mDL verification tees up further adoption in the year ahead.

Kuwait sets legal basis for mDL

Kuwait has passed a ministerial resolution declaring digital driver’s licenses valid for all government and private sector transactions in the country, Arab Times reports.

Resolution No. 2815 of 2024 specifies that the mDL will be issued through the My Kuwait Identity and Sahel applications.

The Times Kuwait reports that digital driving permits began rolling out for expatriates in October.

Article Topics

AAMVA Digital Trust Service  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Georgia  |  Idemia Public Security  |  Kuwait  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  West Virginia  |  West Virginia mID