Today, Utah is leading the way in digital transformation, reshaping how state-issued credentials are managed, verified, and accessed. From off-highway vehicle (OHV) education course certificates to food handler permits, the state is redefining the future of verifiable digital credentials (VDCs) through a cutting-edge, user-centric approach.

Over the past year, SpruceID has been collaborating with Utah’s Division of Technology Services (DTS) and partner Utah agencies to drive this digital transformation. This has enabled the creation of a secure, scalable, and interoperable framework for issuing digital credentials that residents can easily manage and present.

This trailblazing initiative sets a new standard for how government agencies across the country can enhance security, improve user experience, and ensure the authenticity of credentials, all while empowering citizens with greater control over their personal data.

In 2023, the Utah Legislature passed a bill that authorized a pilot for low-assurance, government-issued verifiable digital credentials that replace the paper and plastic versions of permits and passes, such as OHV education course completion certificates and food handler permits. The pilot aimed to prove that this multi-credential issuance approach would create efficiencies for both residents and state agencies while protecting the privacy of Utahns in the digital era.

With the growing number of low-assurance credentials available in Utah, the state encountered several challenges:

Many permits and passes issued by the State or Counties are still in a paper format, which introduces inefficiencies in the digital world. Physical credentials are difficult to provably verify online and require more overhead for processing (PDFs that are emailed must be printed or physical copies sent via snail mail, taking weeks for delivery). For those processes that are offering digital versions of their credentials, many current services will offer a PDF or image of a certification. There is no way to cryptographically verify their authenticity or confirm which entity issued the credential. For example, a fishing license shown to a ranger could easily be a screenshot or forged.

Utah currently has many digital versions of credentials, but they were not issued using the same platform or following a standardized format, thereby allowing each agency to define its own workflow and format for their issued licenses, permits, and passes. Utah envisioned one platform to scale across all state agencies to create a better, more uniform experience for state residents.This way, they would allow residents to have greater control over their own credentials, hold them all in the same wallet, and allow verifiers to easily consume credentials and verify that they are authentic in the same way.

Each department currently manages its own applications through which residents can access their credentials (e.g., an app for a hunting license or an app for immunization records). This is cumbersome for residents to download multiple apps for all of their different permits, as opposed to being able to seamlessly add a credential to their wallet of choice, such as their Apple or Google Wallet. Utah wanted to move more toward a model that supports wallet choice, gives users options, and does not restrict to one different option per credential.

Forging permits and passes decreases state revenue by bypassing license fees, reducing enforcement fines, and undermining conservation efforts funded by legitimate licenses. It also increases state costs for monitoring and enforcement while eroding public trust in the credentialing system. Verifiable digital credentials help prevent forgery, ensure proper fee collection, and improve regulation compliance.

Overall, the state needed a comprehensive digital platform that could issue verifiable credentials, improve user experience, and ensure security while scaling statewide to allow the addition of an unlimited number and type of credentials.

OHV education certificates, issued by the Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Outdoor Recreation, are required for individuals using off-highway vehicles on designated trails such as those in Moab.

Previously, users were issued paper certificates, but now they will receive a lifetime verifiable digital credential that state rangers can easily check using the Verify Utah App, making the process more efficient. The OHV education certificate VDCs are stored as Apple Wallet or Google Wallet passes on the user’s smartphone, enabling quick access while out on the trails.

Verifications of the OHV Education Course Completion VDC happen in a “peer-to-peer” offline verification, which means they do not ping back to a centralized server to complete the verification and thereby do not introduce new surveillance as holders of the VDCs use their digital credentials. This also means that the credentials can be verified without issue, even on the most remote of adventure trails, with low or no cellular connectivity. Thislow-assurance credential was launched within 5 months and has already enhanced trail safety.

In the United States, over 60% of food service workers are under the age of 35, according to data from the National Restaurant Association, which means the majority of food service workers are a part of the digital-first generation. Servicing this cohort of Utahns for better digital experiences, food handler permits, issued in Utah at the county level by local health departments, are also transitioning to digital form. These credentials, which employees of restaurants and food establishments must renew every three years after passing a food safety test, are being digitized through our pilot program with Utah DTS in collaboration with four local health departments.Over the next few months, digital food handler permits will be issued to employees at locations ranging from schools to fast-food chains. The Verify Utah App will also support this credential, enabling easier and faster verification of food handler qualifications across the state.

SpruceID developed a dedicated app, available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, built for anyone verifying credentials (state rangers, local health department, and more) to quickly verify the authenticity of the credentials. Using the Verify Utah App, they can scan someone’s credentials, ensuring the proper authority issued them without risk of forgery.

The Verify Utah App has enhanced how quickly and accurately credentials can be verified in the field, saving time for both residents and state officers. This has improved overall security and reduced the risk of credential fraud.

Utah's initiative to digitize and streamline its credentialing process marks a major milestone in government innovation. With SpruceID’s partnership, the state has enhanced security, privacy, and usability across multiple types of low-assurance credentials.

These efforts not only improve efficiency for both residents and state officials but also lay a foundation for future expansions into their digital credential program. As Utah continues to pioneer digital identity solutions, its scalable and interoperable framework will serve as a model for states seeking to modernize how they manage and verify credentials, all while ensuring trust and ease of access.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue working alongside the state of Utah to bring to life additional use cases and digital credentials.