Utahns may carry a digital driver license this year

HURRICANE, Utah (ABC4) – What started as a pilot program a year ago, is one step closer to becoming a new option for all Utah drivers.

“So far we have about 3,000 people that are in the pilot program for the mobile driver license, right now it’s being accepted in just a handful of locations across the state,” says Joe Dougherty, the spokesperson for the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Senate Bill 88 aims to make the pilot program, permanent.

“Money is on our phone, your health insurance card is on your phone, your auto insurance in on your phone, this kind of just brings Utah’s technology up to par,” says Senator Lincoln Fillmore, the Chief Sponsor for the bill.

Dougherty says they’re expecting it to be available to all Utahns this year.

“It uses the latest security standards, called ISO which is this internationally recognized standard for your data,” he says.

This map shows places accepting the mobile option, known as mDL. It ranges from shopping centers, government entities, to banks.

Dougherty says through an application on your smartphone, a unique QR code is generated, allowing users to share certain data. It even offers remote verification of a person’s record.

“Practiced it with one of our troopers and she was able to sit in her vehicle and verify my ID when I tapped ‘share by Bluetooth’,” says Dougherty.

A physical driver’s license card will still be accepted, officials say this is just an additional option for Utahns.

Officials say if this program moves to a permanent option, there will be a nominal fee for using the app.

For more information click here.