Iowa DOT Delays Launch of Digital ID for Security Improvements - Government Technology

(TNS) — Iowans volition person to hold longer for the enactment of keeping their state-issued ID connected their smartphones and not conscionable their wallets.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has delayed the nationalist motorboat of its integer driver's license, oregon "mobile ID," arsenic it seeks to make and trial a newer mentation of the exertion to align with caller nationalist and planetary champion practices and standards.

"After we began development, nationalist and planetary champion practices" for mobile individuality were solidified, "and we person been gathering those into Iowa's app arsenic we are developing," Andrea Henry, manager of strategical communications for the Iowa DOT, responded successful an email.

The caller guidelines prompted further improvement and investigating of the mobile ID app utilizing newer bundle to adhd different furniture of security, said Toni Smith, emerging exertion programme manager with the Iowa DOT.

"We privation to supply the highest level of information for citizens and relying parties," Smith said.

That includes the incorporation of a QR codification for retail establishments and different places to scan to verify a person's age, individuality oregon address. The QR codification includes an encryption key, and erstwhile scanned initiates an encrypted Bluetooth connection.

All idiosyncratic accusation is stored wrong the DOT's strategy and connected the user's device, which isn't shared "until you merchandise that information" done the app, Smith said.

Previously, DOT officials had hoped to marque the Iowa mobile ID disposable for download via Apple and Android smartphone apps sometime successful 2022.

Smith said the DOT has yet to acceptable a steadfast day for the nationalist rollout of the mobile ID app.

"We volition behaviour a aviator with the caller bundle mentation that volition see enrolling successful the exertion and past utilizing features successful the app to trial functionality and idiosyncratic experience," Smith said. "The aviator volition besides see utilizing the Iowa Mobile ID app with a verification instrumentality to attain feedback connected functionality and idiosyncratic acquisition of that transaction."

While caller information features person been added, the enrollment process has not changed, Smith said.

To alteration the mobile identification, a smartphone idiosyncratic volition download and unfastened the app, registry their telephone number, scan the beforehand and backmost of his oregon her carnal driver's licence and instrumentality a "live selfie," oregon self-photo, that Iowa DOT officials tin cheque against the representation and accusation connected record to verify the user. Once confirmed, the mobile ID volition beryllium enrolled.

Users past make a six-digit PIN to unlock the app. They tin besides usage biometric unlocking, similar fingerprint oregon facial recognition, according to the Iowa DOT.

The Iowa mobile ID app volition beryllium optional and escaped to users, who inactive volition beryllium expected to transportation hard-copy licenses adjacent if their mobile instrumentality is equipped with the digitized mentation of their ID.

"It is simply a companion to your carnal ID; it does not regenerate it," Smith said. "Users should inactive transportation their carnal ID."

The caller integer driver's licence besides volition conscionable the national REAL ID modular that volition beryllium required for boarding an airplane oregon entering a national gathering opening May 7, 2025.

"The Iowa Mobile ID is an hold of a citizen's driver's licence oregon ID," Smith said. "If the national has REAL ID for the carnal ID, they volition person REAL ID connected their Mobile ID."

She said the DOT is moving to marque definite the integer ID tin beryllium accepted by Transportation Security Administration ID readers astatine airports.

While Iowans would inactive transportation their carnal ID, Smith said the integer mentation provides a convenient, unafraid and contactless mode to verify one's identity.

"Everything is connected your phone, present your ID is too," Smith said, noting radical typically person their telephone successful their hand, and it's often "handier to get to than your wallet."

In summation to encryption features to assistance support against fraud, users tin besides take the accusation they privation to share, Smith said. For example, users tin verify their property without having to relay delicate information similar their commencement day oregon address.

"It's a large accidental to stock lone the accusation you request for that transaction," she said. "It offers convenience successful a unafraid and backstage manner."

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