ISO/IEC 23220 is a family of standards that extends the mobile document (mdoc) framework beyond driver's licenses to other government-issued credentials. While ISO 18013 focuses specifically on driver's licenses, ISO 23220 provides a broader architecture for digital wallets to hold multiple credential types, passports, residence permits, voter IDs, diplomas, and more, all designed to interoperate securely.
What does the 23220 series include?
The ISO/IEC 23220 family comprises several parts, each addressing distinct aspects of the credential ecosystem.
ISO/IEC 23220-1 defines system architectures and the interfaces among issuers, holders, and verifiers during issuance and presentation. It establishes the overall framework for how mobile documents should work.
ISO/IEC 23220-2 establishes a data model for interoperability, including mappings across various formats such as mDL data, JSON, and W3C Verifiable Credentials and Presentations. This enables different credential formats to work together.
ISO/IEC 23220-3 (under development) specifies issuance and provisioning processes for organizations that create and distribute mobile documents.
ISO/IEC 23220-4 (under development) defines presentation flows across device engagement (NFC, Bluetooth), server engagement, and transport over the internet (HTTP). It standardizes how credentials are presented in both offline and online contexts.
How does it relate to mDLs?
Mobile driver's licenses, as defined by ISO 18013-5, are a specific type of mobile document (mdoc). ISO 23220 generalizes the mdoc architecture so that the same technical approach, cryptographic signatures, device binding, and selective disclosure can apply to other credential types.
This means the verification infrastructure built for mDLs can be extended to verify other government-issued documents. A wallet holding an mDL could also hold a digital passport or residence permit, all of which use consistent security and privacy protections.
What are the primary use cases?
ISO 23220 is particularly relevant for immigration and cross-border travel, where multiple document types must be verified and authenticated. Civil registries that issue birth certificates or marriage licenses can utilize the framework. Education credentials, training certificates, and professional licenses can be issued as mdocs.
The standard supports both offline and online verification, ensuring credentials are valid across various contexts, whether presenting a residence permit at a border checkpoint or verifying a diploma for an online job application.
Where does adoption stand?
ISO 23220 is newer than the mDL standards and is still rolling out. Adoption is not yet as widespread as ISO 18013-5, but the framework is gaining traction as governments look to extend their digital credentialing infrastructure beyond driver's licenses. The European Union's eIDAS 2.0 program and various national digital identity initiatives are exploring mdoc-based approaches.
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