Iowa residents will soon launch a smartphone driver’s license

 Des Moines Register

Have you ever left your wallet at home? If you live in Iowa, you will soon be able to take our your smartphone and use a mobile application to pull up your drivers license.

At some point in 2015, residents in Iowa will be able to access their drivers license by using a free mobile app issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The digital license is described as an “identity vault app” and will be accepted by Iowa law enforcement and security officers at airports in Iowa. The app will first be tested in a pilot program by select state employees within the next six months.

At the moment, we are not sure what mobile platforms will be used for this application but I think it is a safe bet that Android and iOS will be included at the beginning. The security at first will be minimal with protection including just a pin number but more security is expected to be added at a later date.

Iowa will not make this app mandatory so those using a plastic card as a drivers license will still be able to keep that card as identification.