DOT: Digital licenses coming soon for Iowa drivers

DES MOINES, Iowa — EDITOR’S NOTE: The video above is from Sept. 16, 2021. 

Iowa motorists will soon have the option of keeping their driver’s licenses on their phones. 

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that state officials have begun a pilot project to make digital driver’s licenses, or “mobile IDs,” available for download via smartphone apps sometime in 2022. 

Iowa plans to test devices equipped with digital versions through December, with about 100 state Department of Transportation employees expected to enlist by spring as a test group.

The mobile ID will be optional and motorists will still be expected to carry hard-copy licenses.

Back in September, the DOT said it was working to address security concerns. However, officials believed mobile ID cards will be able to add a layer of protection in the future. 

“We’ve kind of taken our time in that development, because our customers’ privacy and security have been at the forefront of our product,” said Andrea Henry, the director of communications for Iowa DOT. “We really want to make sure that users have a consistent experience, as well as, as users go state to state, they are able to utilize that mobile driver’s license or ID in the same fashion no matter where they go.”

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