Where Are mDLs Used Today?

Mobile driver's licenses have moved from pilot projects to real infrastructure. Adoption is accelerating across the United States, with acceptance expanding at airports, retail locations, and online services.

How many states issue mDLs?

A growing number of states have launched mDL programs, with additional states piloting or planning deployments as standards and acceptance mature. That number is expected to double by 2026. ABI Research projects that over 143 million Americans will hold an mDL by 2030.

California's DMV Wallet offers one of the most comprehensive examples. As of October 2026, over 3 million mobile driver’s licenses have been provisioned. The program also converted more than 40 million vehicle titles into blockchain-backed digital credentials, demonstrating how the same infrastructure can extend beyond driver's licenses.

Where are mDLs accepted?

TSA accepts mobile driver's licenses at more than 250 security checkpoints across participating states. The agency utilizes Credential Authentication Technology (CAT-2) readers that can verify mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) conforming to ISO/IEC 18013-5. Being on TSA's list of accepted credentials significantly boosts adoption by demonstrating real-world utility.

Beyond airports, mDLs are increasingly accepted for age verification at retail locations, identity checks by law enforcement, and access to government services. Some states have launched partner programs that publish directories of participating businesses and provide training materials for front-line staff.

Can mDLs be used online?

Yes. ISO/IEC 18013-7 specifies how mDLs can be presented over the internet, enabling remote identity verification for use cases such as opening bank accounts, accessing benefits, or completing age verification for online purchases.

To demonstrate how these online mDL capabilities work in real-world, regulated environments, NIST's National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) has convened banks, state agencies, and technology providers to build and test reference implementations using mDLs and verifiable credentials.

Customer Identification Program / Know Your Customer (CIP/KYC): In the financial services use case, the NCCoE demonstrates how an mDL or verifiable digital credential can be used to establish and access an online financial account. Rather than relying on document uploads or manual reviews, a customer presents a cryptographically signed credential (their mobile driver’s license) issued by a state authority. Financial institutions can verify authenticity and required attributes to satisfy CIP and KYC obligations while reducing fraud risk, onboarding friction, and unnecessary data collection.

Federal Credential Service Provider (CSP) and federation: NCCoE is also demonstrating how mDLs and verifiable digital credentials can be used to establish an account with a U.S. Federal Government Credential Service Provider. Once established, that account can be used to access multiple federated agency systems without repeating identity proofing at each agency. This use case demonstrates how authoritative, state-issued credentials can facilitate secure federal identity federation in accordance with NIST digital identity guidelines.

Healthcare access and electronic prescribing: In healthcare scenarios, NCCoE is demonstrating how mDLs and verifiable digital credentials can support provider identity verification for access to clinical systems and electronic prescribing workflows. By relying on high-assurance, cryptographically verifiable digital credentials, healthcare organizations can strengthen trust in provider identity, reduce administrative burden, and improve security for sensitive systems without relying on static accounts or manual credential checks.

What use cases are emerging?

As adoption grows, mDLs are being used across an expanding range of scenarios: proof-of-age at bars and retailers, traffic stops and law enforcement interactions, airport screening, loan applications, access to government benefits, and online identity verification. Some implementations also support vehicle rental eligibility checks and other add-on functions defined in ISO/IEC 18013-7.

The underlying infrastructure can also extend to other credential types. States like Utah are developing frameworks that utilize the same privacy-preserving, verifiable digital credential approach for professional licenses, permits, and vital records, transitioning from pilot projects to a foundational identity infrastructure.