Harmonized digital driving license in EU approved as part of driving reform package

The EU is getting closer to a harmonized mobile driver’s license (mDL) with the approval of a provisional deal on EU driving licence rules.

A release says that under the provisional agreement, approved by the Transport and Tourism Committee by 36 votes to six, a digital driving licence available on a smartphone with EU-wide digital wallet technology will become the main format in the EU.

Drivers will continue to have the right to request a physical driver’s licence.

IRU, the world road transport organization, has published a statement welcoming the vote. “The revision of the directive introduces a harmonised digital driving licence – which will be rolled out by the end of 2030 – integrated into the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet,” it says. “This step marks an important milestone towards a paperless and more inclusive mobility system, enhancing efficiency and regulatory compliance across the EU.”

The directive is part of a larger European Commission road safety package, which also reforms rules on minimum age for professional drivers, introduces accompanied driving schemes for young professionals, expands access to alternative fuel vehicles and creates a framework for recognizing third-country driving licences.

Arizona, Utah officials say they could be doing better on mDLs

In the U.S., where mDL adoption is spreading state-by-state, chief information officers from Arizona and Utah convened at the NASCIO 2025 Midyear Conference to discuss how to leverage mDLs to enhance services and serve as a digital proof of identity throughout government environments.

Quoted in State Tech magazine Arizona CIO J.R. Sloan says that, given the present and potential reach of mDLs, it would be irresponsible to ignore the opportunity that driver’s licenses provide for identity management across use cases. He envisions digital licenses as a full identity platform rather than a mere authentication solution. “The goal long-term would be that it can interact with a number of other identity providers,” he says. “Those credentials can be valid, and it can be passed through and used to authenticate to your application.”

“We want to make sure that there’s space for the third-party verification solutions to interact with our product on their operator.”

Utah CIO Alan Fuller notes the sometimes underwhelming infrastructure for mDLs. Faulty or broken devices can frustrate users and potentially curb adoption, and staff need training to be able to optimize mDLs’ potential.

“It’s getting to the point where TSA recognizes they need it, but airlines often don’t,” he says. “And I don’t know if a hotel does; I don’t know if banks do. So, we have an adoption problem, and adoption is absolutely essential.”

He says the answer, in part, is to look at the ISO standards – and in part to revisit some questionable choices, such as using a vendor that wants to charge both the credential holder and the identity verification authority for using an app, resulting in an annual fee that makes users “annoyed.”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  EU  |  EU Digital Identity Wallet  |  Europe  |  identity document  |  identity verification  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  United States