If you fly out of Tweed New Haven Airport this holiday season, you may soon be able to leave your license in your wallet at the security checkpoint. The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles announced on Oct. 29 that Connecticut Mobile ID, a digital version of your driver’s license, learner’s permit or state ID, will launch on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
At launch, the DMV says, Mobile ID will be accepted by the Transportation Security Administration at participating security checkpoints nationwide, and the state specifically named Tweed New Haven Airport, which sits on the East Haven–New Haven line, and Bradley International Airport.
How it works
- The app is free and will be available through the App Store and Google Play.
- You will need your physical driver’s license or state ID card to set it up.
- Before your Mobile ID can be shown, the app requires Face ID, Touch ID or your 6-digit PIN.
- The DMV says your personal information is stored securely on your device, not within the Mobile ID app itself, and you can review exactly what information is being requested before you approve or decline sharing it.
What it does not replace
The state is clear that this is an add-on, not a substitute. Mobile ID “is designed to complement, not replace a physical driver’s license or identification card,” the DMV said, and residents should keep carrying their physical card.
- Police: law enforcement will not accept Mobile ID as a substitute for a physical driver’s license, so keep your card with you when you drive.
- Voting: Mobile ID cannot be used for voting. That matters this week, with Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, well before the app even launches.
- Flash pass: the DMV says it cannot be used as a “flash pass.” Businesses that accept it are required to use a compatible verification app to validate it.
- Stores, bars and package stores: businesses will not be required to accept mobile IDs, though they may choose to. The state says acceptance will be limited at first.
What local businesses should know
The Department of Consumer Protection says it will send information over the next month to licensees in industries that check IDs. “Over the next month we will communicate with our many credential holders that may want to accept mobile IDs in their businesses,” DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said. Businesses that want to take part need to adopt a Mobile ID verification system that meets their needs.
“Digitizing IDs is another step forward” in putting more state services online and on mobile devices, Gov. Ned Lamont said in the announcement. DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera said the agency is “excited to be moving our Mobile ID project over the finish line” and looks forward to more businesses and residents using it.
Before you fly
The DMV’s release says Mobile ID will work at participating TSA checkpoints. If you are flying soon after Nov. 18, bring your physical license or ID card as well, just in case.
More details, including setup steps once the app is live, are on the DMV’s Connecticut Mobile ID page. The full announcement is here.
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