Arkansas mDL, state ID from Idemia now supported in Google Wallet

On October 6, Google publicly listed Arkansas as its tenth U.S. jurisdiction supporting state mobile driver’s license (mDL) and digital ID in Google Wallet, using the same ID scan, selfie biometrics and liveness check onboarding flow seen in other states. That marks a meaningful shift from using only the state app at airports to allowing Android users to present a digital wallet-resident ID and age credential where supported.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration formally announced on March 3 that Arkansans with a valid license or state ID can download a free mobile ID app to create a digital credential. The agency’s notice emphasized that mobile ID is a companion to – not a replacement for – the physical card because acceptance is still rolling out across verifiers.

Enrollment follows a familiar digital ID flow. Users scan the front and back of their physical credential and complete a selfie/biometric liveness step. The credential is then stored on the user’s device and protected by device authentication.

Arkansas’ public guidance also explains how the system works in practice. The holder begins the process by displaying an encrypted QR code that a verifier scans, instead of relying entirely on tap-to-read NFC.

The state built the program with Idemia Public Security North America, which provides the issuance and verification technology under Arkansas’ authority. Idemia and the state say the credential lives on the device and that holders can disclose only the minimum data needed for a transaction, such as “over 21” without a full birthdate.

State officials frame the program as a modernization step that preserves state control over issuance and revocation while meeting emerging federal TSA checkpoint requirements.

Airport use is limited to participating Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. In early August, the Arkansas Advocate reported TSA had begun accepting Arkansas mobile ID at “more than 260” airports, while urging travelers to carry a physical license until acceptance is ubiquitous.

Wallet integrations are arriving in phases. Arkansas said in August the mobile ID would be available in Google and Samsung wallets by early fall, with Apple Wallet planned later.

For businesses and agencies inside the state, acceptance is voluntary and requires a compatible verifier. Arkansas offers guidance and a no-cost verification path, and it encourages ISO/IEC 18013-5-aligned selective disclosure so verifiers request only what they need.

The state also maintains the public key infrastructure verifiers use to check that a presented Mobile ID was issued by Arkansas.

Privacy and control have been flashpoints in other states’ deployments, and Arkansas’ documentation addresses several of those concerns. The state positions the wallet (or app) as a secure container, not a data lake; issuance and revocation remain state functions; and holders initiate each transaction, which is designed to limit the data shared.

Even with those guardrails, the state and TSA continue to caution residents not to ditch the plastic card until acceptance is universal.

Article Topics

Arkansas  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Google Wallet  |  identity document  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  TSA  |  United States