Digital Driver's License
Can A Notary Accept A “Digital” Driver's License as Satisfactory Identification?Published July 1, 2025
Imagine never having to fumble around for your driver license in your pocket or old-school wallet… instead, it’s always available with just a click or swipe on your mobile device.
This convenience is gradually becoming a reality, as a growing number of U.S. states move forward with mobile driver license implementation and adoption.
Mobile driver licenses—“mDLs”—are intended to function and be accepted exactly as tangible driver licenses have always been. But only a relatively small number of U.S. states have completed enough implementation steps that they are actually issuing mDLs. Even then, those states generally encourage or still require license holders to carry a tangible (physical) card in addition to a mobile driver’s license.
With awareness and widespread use of mDLs still in a very early stage, notaries might be uncertain about accepting an mDL to identify a present principal or, they might insist on a different credential altogether. While most states now issuing mDLs still require the holder to also carry their tangible state driver license—and a notary can certainly rely on that credential as they always have—the eventual goal of state policymakers is widespread use of the official mobile driver license app and less reliance on the old-style, tangible credential.
ASN recommends that notaries everywhere familiarize themselves with mDLs in general, and also know where to look to verify which states have issued or are issuing mDLs to their residents. Here are some helpful resources:
• “mDL Connection” website. Managed by a not-for-profit group called the Secure Technology Alliance, this website illustrates where each U.S. state is in the mDL development and implementation process. States in “Pilot Activities” and “Interoperable Available Across Operating Systems” are likely issuing mDLs to state residents.
• State agencies issuing mobile driver licenses to state residents. States that are actively issuing mDLs to their residents generally publish information on their division or department of motor vehicles’ website. For example, in Florida (the American Society of Notaries’ home state), driver licenses are issued by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department. This agency is actively developing the “Florida Smart ID,” which will be accessed via the ID holder’s phone app.
Notaries should rely only on authoritative resources such as those listed above for digital driver license information. Why that’s important: it’s not hard to image that dishonest folks will try to pass off fake “electronic” driver licenses as genuine. But notaries can protect themselves by (a) knowing the resources they should rely upon for accurate information; and (b) using only those resources for their mDL fact-checking.
Your data is safe with us! (read our privacy and security policy)