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Digital Driver’s Licenses Will Soon be Coming to Colorado

[fa icon="calendar"] Jan 4, 2017 3:15:00 PM / by Joshua Rossi

Digital Driver's Licenses Colorado Traffic Laws

Have you ever left your house and realized when you got to your destination that you forgot your driver’s license at home? Soon, forgetting your wallet at home may become an excuse of the past, at least if you live in Colorado according to Colorado Traffic Laws.

The Colorado Department of Revenue recently announced that the state’s DMV will participate in a two-year pilot program that aims to provide Coloradans a digital version of their driver’s license. The project is titled the Interoperable, Trusted Ecosystem for Digital Driver Licenses and ID Cards on Mobile Devices for U.S. Jurisdictions. Iowa, Idaho, Maryland, and Washington DC will also participate in the pilot program.

The Digital Version

For teenagers, attending a driving institute and getting their license is a rite of passage. Printed, plastic driver’s licenses have been a norm for decades. They don’t just act as proof that you can drive, but they also serve as an ID to verify your age and identity. Now, the digital age is changing how we complete transactions and activities. Digital versions of driver licenses are just one example of this shift.

Digital driver licenses will resemble the printed version and include the same information, such as your name, address, date of birth, and a photo. It will also still contain a scannable barcode so machines can read the information on your license.

Program Details

The project won’t immediately do away with physical driver licenses, but the pilot program is being conducted to see if that is an option. There is no start date yet for the program, but digital security company, Gemalto Inc., has been awarded $2 million to develop a digital driver’s license through a mobile application for the DMVs.  The funding is part of a $15 million effort to increase secured access to local and state government as well as health services. “We are very excited about this opportunity to embrace new technology,” said Department of Revenue Executive Director Barbara Brohl. “The Division of Motor Vehicles is constantly looking for ways to improve customer convenience and make our services easily accessible for all residents, and this is certainly a step in that direction.”

Benefits of Digital Driver’s Licenses

The use of digital driver’s licenses not only would be more convenient, but the full-fledged mobile app could also provide many benefits, such as:

  • Improve customer convenience
  • Make DMV services easily accessible for all residents
  • Drivers can review their licenses online – no more standing in line at the DMV
  • You don’t need to panic if you get pulled over and left your wallet at home
  • Provides security of your personal data
  • Can be updated more easily

Not only does a digital credential bring new layers of security, such as a PIN or fingerprint verification, but it is also much more difficult to fraudulently duplicate or alter. If you ever lose your mobile device or it’s stolen, your digital driver’s license can be remotely deactivated or wiped almost instantly.

More information will become available as the details of the pilot program are coordinated. For now, our team here at Western Slope Driving Institute is available to answer any questions that you may have regarding getting your driver’s license and regarding Colorado Traffic Laws.

Topics: Colorado Driving Laws & Regulations

Written by Joshua Rossi