NJ MVC may soon issue digital driver's licenses for smartphones

NEW JERSEY - New Jersey is one step closer to allowing residents to have their driver's licenses on their smartphones and mobile devices.

The state Senate Transportation Committee voted unanimously last week in favor of Bill S1297, which would require the NJ MVC to create mobile driver's licenses and identification cards.

The bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Nellie Pou (D) and Sen. Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D), now heads to the full Senate for a vote. 

Mobile licenses – or digital IDs –  will give people more privacy by allowing them to decide what personal information they share, state officials said.

The licenses offer privacy control options that allow people to verify their age when purchasing alcohol or renting a car, while hiding other personal information like their address. 

Electronic credentials will allow people to update their license information remotely without having to go to a state’s DMV or waiting for a new card in the mail, said Lee Howell, state relations manager at the American Automobile Association. 

Eight states, including Arizona and Colorado, currently offer mobile licenses to their residents, and 11 other states are in various stages of development.

While most states with the programs recommend users still carry their physical driver’s license as a backup, some industry experts estimate the COVID-19 pandemic had sped up the widespread adoption of contactless identification methods by at least a decade. 

In most states, people’s data will be stored on their phones and with the DMV. People will only be able to access a mobile ID app with a passcode or using a smartphone’s fingerprint or facial recognition scan. 

The Associated Press and FOX News contributed to this report.