Digital driver's licenses in 2026 — where things stand

Digital or mobile driver's licenses (mDL) have been in development for several years and 2026 is the first year where they are broadly available in enough states to be practically relevant. Here is what the current landscape looks like.

States with active mDL programs

As of mid-2026, more than 20 states have deployed some form of digital driver's license through their official DMV mobile apps. Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Georgia are among the more mature programs with broader acceptance at federal checkpoints. The TSA began accepting mDLs at certain airports in 2023 and expanded acceptance significantly through 2025.

Each state's implementation differs in what the mDL contains and where it can be presented. Some states issue a full mDL that legally substitutes for the physical card. Others issue a digital credential that supplements the physical card but cannot replace it in all contexts.

The ISO 18013-5 standard

The technical standard underlying most mDL implementations is ISO 18013-5, which specifies how mobile identity credentials are stored, accessed, and presented. It defines both online and offline presentation modes. The offline mode — where the credential can be presented without network connectivity — is important for most real-world use cases including traffic stops and venue entry.

What this means for physical cards

Physical driver's licenses are not being replaced. Most states that have launched mDL programs have indicated that the physical card will remain a required option for the foreseeable future. The digital credential is an addition, not a replacement. Venues, law enforcement, and age verification checkpoints have varying levels of mDL acceptance, and the physical card remains the universal fallback.

For collectors and novelty ID enthusiasts, the physical card format is secure for at least another decade based on current adoption curves. The digital credential is adding a parallel system rather than retiring the physical one.