News in Brief

Virginia Rolls Out Smartphone-Based Mobile ID

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in the US, has launched Virginia Mobile ID, a smartphone-based version of the state driving licence or ID card, now available as a free app on iOS and Android.

The mobile ID is a digital companion, not a replacement, for the physical credential. Customers must still carry their physical card, particularly when driving, but can present the app in many everyday transactions. Enrolment takes only a few minutes: users download the app, scan the barcode on the back of their licence or ID, and complete a liveness-based face verification step.