State of digital IDs in Virginia
Mobile Driver’s Licenses are in the works for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles via a couple different methods. The state announced the their card issuer, CBN, would handle creation of the technology, and initially slated the release of the Virginia mobile ID for July 2023. However, the project has experienced delays and as of February 2023 has no scheduled launch date for the general public.
House Bill 506 was also passed in 2022 further promoting the creation of a mobile ID.
As of late 2024, the Virginia mobile app is available for download and is being used by a portion of Virginia’s nearly 126,000 state employees.
Notable elements of HB 506
- Presentment of a digital ID to a law enforcement officer is an acceptable form of identification. However, it is not considered consent for the officer to access other apps or stored items on the presenter’s mobile device.
- Both public and private entities are required to accept the mobile ID in lieu of a physical ID.
- An individual must already own a physical driver’s license to obtain a mobile driver’s license.
Early Virginia mobile ID pilot program
The state conducted a proof of concept in 2016, which lasted three months, to test how feasible Virginia mobile driver’s licenses are within the state. This pilot program was managed by CBN, the state’s ID card issuer.
GCN explains this further: “Once received, the CBN server used the information in the driving record to construct and send back a profile to the retailer that included a picture of the driver, an indicator as to whether the driver was over the age of 18, a separate indicator as to whether the driver was over the age of 21, and a date and time stamp. No customer birth dates were shared.” Residents felt secure using the app, as their information was privately investigated.
Other Virginia mDL resources
Implementation Tracker Map: Virginia (mDL Connection)
Delegate Mike Mullin Introduces House Bill for Electronic DMV Credentials (WYDAILY)