State of digital ID in Colorado
Earlier this year, Apple announced that Arizona would be the first state ever to offer a digital version of the state issued driver’s license in the Apple Wallet for iPhone or Apple Watch. Since this announcement, several other states have eagerly awaited their turn to hop on the digital ID train, Colorado being one of them. But doesn’t Colorado have their own mobile ID app? Yes, and it will continue to work in tandem with the Apple Wallet version.
Digital ID app for Colorado
The two apps are similar, but have different functions. The myColorado App is a statewide accepted replacement for your physical ID card. It stores information such as driver’s license number, vaccine status, fishing license, and more. The mobile ID that can be used in the Apple wallet is a version of the ID that is meant to be used during travel at select TSA checkpoints and is not sufficient as a replacement for the physical ID.
This new ID format is particularly beneficial for those traveling, because you will no longer have to present your physical Colorado ID while going through TSA, so long as you refer to TSA signage to ensure you’re in a location that accepts this new identification method.
To get your Colorado Mobile ID set up, you must first make sure you meet the technical requirements of an iPhone 8 or newer, and an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer. You must also have the latest iOS versions downloaded for both your phone and watch, two-factor authentication must be on, and you must be signed in with your Apple ID with your location set. Your physical ID card should also be clear and easily readable. If you meet the aforementioned requirements, Coloradoans can add the new Mobile ID by tapping the plus (+) button at the top right corner of the wallet app. From there, scan your Colorado ID, take a series of photos so that your identity can be verified, then submit your Mobile ID for verification. Once the state approves the ID, it will be added to your Apple Wallet.
Where new Mobile ID is accepted
For now, the new digital ID will only be accepted at select TSA checkpoints, including the Denver International Airport, so people are still encouraged to carry their physical ID, especially when driving. That being said, this is also where the myColorado app comes in handy. So if you still don’t have your physical ID, the myColorado app would suffice during routine traffic stops and age verification checkpoints in Colorado.
Other Colorado mDL resources
Download the myColorado App (myColorado)
iPhone users can now present Colorado digital IDs in Apple Wallet (9News)