(Credit: Joel Black/NYS DMV)
New York is the latest state to embrace digital IDs with an app for Android and iOS that will let residents access state-issued driver licenses, learner permits, and IDs on their phones.
This New York Mobile ID (MiD) will work at TSA security checkpoints in nearly 30 airports, including NYC's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International. Instead of producing a physical ID, travelers scan their smartphones on an identity reader for TSA to verify.
Data is encrypted and the MiD app can only be unlocked using Face ID, Touch ID, or a six-digit PIN. It will work on devices running Android 7 or higher and iPhone 6 and up. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, you don't need Wi-Fi or a cell connection to load up the MiD. The app can only be activated on one device at a time.
NY Governor Kathy Hochul says the app can be used at any "business, venue or organization that chooses to accept it, including those in other states and countries." A press release focused on the TSA rollout, but the DMV is working to help businesses and organizations adopt the technology.
There are a few steps required to activate a New York Mobile ID:
- Download the New York MiD app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Register your phone number.
- Take a picture of the front and back of your physical ID using their phone’s camera.
- Take a selfie, which will be compared against information on file with the DMV.
- Once your information is verified, your MiD is active and ready to use.
The app isn't a replacement for your ID, so don't throw out your license just yet. As the governor's office notes: "The New York MiD serves as a companion to a physical ID, and not all businesses or stakeholders will initially accept mobile IDs, so New Yorkers should always continue to carry their physical driver’s license or ID."
While Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland currently allow residents to use their IDs with digital wallets like Apple Wallet and Samsung Wallet, New York joins California, Iowa, Louisiana, and Utah in implementing their own app.