Iowa Mobile ID app available for download

Iowans can now download an app that can be used as a digital version of their driver's license at businesses across the state.

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The Iowa Mobile ID app can be used to verify a person's age for purchasing alcohol and tobacco, as well as for identification at certain TSA PreCheck checkpoints at Iowa airports.

“Iowa is the first state in the nation to roll out a mobile ID with a large number of businesses across the state capable of accepting the ID," Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said in an Iowa DOT release. "I’m so proud of the DOT and the Department of Revenue’s Alcoholic Beverages Division working together on an innovative solution that provides convenience and added security for Iowans as they use their IDs for a variety of purposes."

The app was originally slated for release in 2022, but new updates in technology and best practices delayed the development of the app. The app is now available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

“Innovation and technology underpin our work to make lives better through transportation, and I am pleased to showcase another example of this from our department,” Iowa DOT Director Scott Marler said in a statement.

According to the DOT release, the app is "a companion to the physical card and does not replace it." The agency said Iowans should still carry their physical card.

Where can the Iowa Mobile ID app be used?

The app can be accepted by businesses that use the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division Age to Purchase app. Iowa Department of Revenue Director Mary Mosiman said in the release that integrating the two apps will lead to quicker adoption.

So far, 18 business have told the DOT that they are ready to accept the Mobile ID, according to a list on the agency's website. Iowa residents also can use the mobile ID at TSA PreCheck at the Des Moines International Airport, The Eastern Iowa Airport, and many other airports throughout the country.

Other businesses that use the ID verification app will be able to accept Iowa Mobile ID. Iowans should look for the "Iowa Mobile ID" logo on business doors and at a point of sale, the agency said.

"As with any new technology, the transition to widespread use will ramp up over time," the agency said in the release.

The app cannot be used as a valid form of ID when voting, a spokesperson for Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said.

How do I set up the Iowa Mobile ID app?

After downloading the app, users will be asked to register with their phone number and scan their physical ID. Users will then need to submit a photo of themselves to verify their identity.

Users will be asked to create a PIN or use biometrics to secure their mobile ID.

When asked to present their ID, a mobile ID user can click a button in the app to share their identity, which will pull up a QR code that the business can scan. They will then be asked to accept or reject the business's request for their information.

Users also can choose how much information to share. For example, they can share their age with the business without revealing their address.

How is my data secured?

According to the DOT's website, the Mobile ID app does not permanently store personal data, other than an encrypted version of the user's driver's license number and phone number as a record locator. The information accessed by the app is stored with the Iowa DOT.