Delaware has a chance to be the first state to allow drivers to present their licenses on their smartphones thanks to a resolution pushed by the state House of Representatives Thursday.
The resolution, initially reported by The News Journal, asks the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to study and consider providing motorists with digital versions of licenses. Officials said customers will still have the option to show hard plastic licenses.
Digital licenses would show the owner's name, birthdate, address signature, photo and other information normally found on a hard copy.
The move comes at a time when people are using their smartphones as replacements for cash and credits when paying for items, The News Journal reported. Electronic payment systems aren't a new thing for Delaware, as the state started letting drivers show electronic proof of insurance during traffic stops last year.
"It's not going to get us any more bang for our buck, but it will be a convenience for our customer," said Jennifer Cohan, director of Delaware's DMV. "If our meetings go well over the next couple of weeks, it may be something we can pilot sooner, rather than later."
Delaware isn't the first state to consider putting licenses in people's phones, as Iowa announced a pilot plan last year for such an initiative for 2015, CBS News reported. The resolution acknowledged this plan, but stated Delaware may be a better choice for adopting the new technology due to its smaller population.
Delaware and Iowa have the same license provider, MorphoTrust, which has been working on digital licenses and is used by 40 other states.
Jenny Openshaw, vice president of MorphoTrust, said the company is considering using fingerprints, iris or facial recognition to make sure only the ID holder can access their digital licenses, CBS News reported. The exact form of security these licenses will use has yet to be determined.
