Boston, Massachusetts, Salt Lake City, Utah (October 5, 2021) – The eagerly anticipated ISO/IEC 18013-5 International standard for Mobile Driver’s License (mDL) and Mobile IDs (mID) was unanimously approved for publication on August 18, 2021 and is now available at https://www.iso.org/standard/69084.html. Publication clears the way for global ID and Driver’s License Issuers to confidently deploy mDL solutions, and for Verifiers around the world to implement or adopt mDL readers. Businesses, Federal and State Agencies, and other public entities verify government-issued ID documents to quickly approve transactions every day. mDL gives the holder control of their ID data on their mobile device, while allowing acceptance via a tap or scan.
This global mDL standard was the result of over six years of effort through an open collaboration of Issuers, Technology Providers, Regional Authorities (such as AAMVA, EReg, AustRoads, and the African Tripartite), and businesses that accept identity documents to approve transactions. Quarterly meetings were held on every continent during these years to ensure inclusivity and transitioned to fully virtual for 2020 and 2021.
ISO/IEC 18013-5 for Mobile IDs and Mobile Driver’s Licenses overcomes the insecurity of showing a card on a phone screen and offers a host of benefits for Cardholders and the Verifiers who accept ID cards and Driver’s Licenses:
- A comprehensive global standard for sharing identity document information, matured during several test events held on nearly every continent during the last two years.
- Multiple Ways to Interact. A secure device-to-device protocol for sharing identity information that supports multiple transmission technologies, so that mDL Holders can tap or allow a scan to share their information and Verifiers can accept mDLs quickly according to their customer flows.
- Increased privacy for mDL users than physical cards:
- Share Only Relevant Data. Support for data minimization (e.g., to share only the fact that one is older than 21 rather than one’s full date of birth) built into the standard.
- Consent to Share. Controls that allow the mDL holder to release only some of the data elements requested by a relying party and only after explicit consent.
- Phone Stays in Your Control. The phone never leaves your hand, unlike ID cards.
- Know when Your Data is Stored. Explicit notification to an mDL holder if a Verifier intends to retain their information. Verifiers can avoid the liability of retaining data.
- Resistant to Tracking. There is no unique identifier to see where you’ve used your mDL.
- Difficult to forge. Stored and shared documents are cryptographically protected against counterfeit, adding resistance to the creation of fake IDs. Verifiers can easily check authenticity.
- Works when devices do not have connection. When either the mDL device or the Verifier device does NOT have a network connection, data can be shared between devices (offline).
- Provides privacy best practices for Issuing Authorities and Verifiers in the accompanying Privacy Annex with requirements for maximizing mDL Holder privacy.
Chrissy Nizer, Chair of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators Board of Directors said, “This standard will provide the necessary components to support mDL security and interoperability across the globe while ensuring the privacy and safety of the mDL holder.”
“TSA considers ISO standards for personal identification documents to be a cornerstone for greater security and privacy,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “The new standard for mobile driver’s licenses represents a significant step forward and will eventually help ensure a more touchless and efficient airport screening experience for all travelers.”
“Austroads would like to commend the International Standards working group for ISO 18013/5 Mobile Driver Licence. This standard was developed through strong partnership with global industry leaders in identity as well as global issuing authorities of credentials. This standard will create the foundation for not just digital driver’s licences to be trusted and accepted across state and national borders but enables the underlying identity to be used securely by citizens of participating jurisdictions to seamlessly access products and service across business, industry and government entities.”
Servi Beckers, Chairman of the Association of European Vehicle and Driver Registration authorities (EReg) said, “this standard is a good example of industry and public administration cooperating to enhance our citizens lives. It places the driving licences in our modern times where we are already used to use our mobile phones for almost anything. The great advantages I see from a citizen’s perspective are: better privacy protection, up to date driver capabilities (and thus room for tailored solutions), easier travelling (worldwide standard), and room for innovative ideas in digital services where driving licences are used.”
About GET Group North America
GET Group North America provides the Mobile Driver’s License for the State of Utah and is a leading contributor to ISO/IEC 18013-5 Personal identification — ISO-compliant driving license — Part 5: Mobile driving license (mDL) application. GET Mobile ID has implemented all interaction modes available in this International mDL Standard and meets all privacy requirements in Annex E: Privacy and security. GET Mobile Verify is an application for iOS and Android that reads and verifies all compliant mDLs and mIDs.
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Jordan Bouclin
GET Group NA, SVM Communications
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