Driver License

ADOT MVD offers retailers a new app for mobile ID age verification

ADOT MVD offers retailers a new app for mobile ID age verification

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT MVD offers retailers a new app for mobile ID age verification

ADOT MVD offers retailers a new app for mobile ID age verification

July 30, 2024

Arizonans now have another way to use digital driver licenses and IDs

PHOENIX – ADOT MVD today will enable mobile ID acceptance on iPhone with the Smart ID Verifier app. By using the Smart ID Verifier app, Arizona retailers can easily and securely accept mobile IDs in person to verify the ages of customers purchasing alcohol directly on their iPhones, no additional hardware needed. This new feature will bring Arizonans another way to use their mobile driver licenses.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is partnering with the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control to enable Mobile ID Acceptance on iPhone with the Smart ID Verifier app, available in the App Store. Participating retailers selling age-restricted beverages have an efficient and secure way to verify a customer’s age. Retailers using the Smart ID Verifier app will only be provided the required information necessary for age verification, such as a customer's age and ID photo. The information is encrypted between devices, so customers do not need to hand over their smartphones.   

“ADOT MVD is proud to once again provide new ways for Arizonans to seamlessly conduct business,” said Eric Jorgensen, ADOT MVD Director. “This digital verification process is a more secure and private way to present identification.”

Mobile IDs, including IDs in Apple Wallet and IDs in Google Wallet, as well as the physical MVD-issued ID card can be accepted using the Smart ID Verifier app. Starting today, businesses will be able to verify age and properly record the verification for compliance with alcohol sales laws. Neither MVD nor Apple have access to users’ personal information and neither can see when or where users present their mobile IDs.

“The Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control is excited to partner with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division in the announcement of Mobile ID Acceptance on iPhone with the Smart ID Verifier app,” said Ben Henry, Department of Liquor Licenses and Control Director. “With this new capability, establishments can securely verify patrons' identification and determine they are of legal drinking age - right on iPhone. This will provide additional ease while maintaining compliance with Arizona Liquor Laws.”

Participation in the acceptance of mobile IDs is optional. Arizonans should continue to carry their physical driver licenses or state ID cards for those retailers who don’t yet accept the digital option.

For additional information about the Smart ID Verifier Ap, please visit azdot.gov/smart-id-verifier-app

Arizona was the first state to offer four options to keep your digital license or ID in your smartphone. Arizona first offered the Mobile ID (mID) in 2021, then in 2022 was the first state to add Apple Wallet. Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet for Android devices became available for Arizona driver licenses or ID cards in 2023. 

To learn more about mobile options for Arizona driver licenses and state IDs, please visit azdot.gov/DigitalIDs.

 

Samsung Wallet newest option for Arizona driver license or ID

Samsung Wallet newest option for Arizona driver license or ID

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Samsung Wallet newest option for Arizona driver license or ID

Samsung Wallet newest option for Arizona driver license or ID

December 20, 2023

ADOT MVD has the most options to carry a digital ID

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is adding yet another option for digital identification. Arizonans can now keep a digital driver license or state ID in Samsung Wallet on their Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

“Arizona is proud to be the first state to offer Samsung Wallet for carrying and presenting a driver license or state ID,” Arizona MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “ADOT MVD continues to find easy new ways for Arizonans to conveniently and securely conduct business. Whether that is utilizing your smartphone to digitally present your identity safely, or the ability to take care of MVD services securely online at azmvdnow.gov, or even a quick easy chat with an MVD expert online to get you out of the line and safely on the road.”

Arizona is the first state to offer four options to keep your digital license or ID in your smartphone. Arizona first offered the mobile driver license (mID) in 2021, then in 2022 was the first state to add Apple Wallet, and just last month Google Wallet for Android devices became available for Arizona driver licenses or ID cards. 

Digital identity is a new technology that Arizonans can utilize and securely present it as a valid ID at select TSA airport security checkpoints. Arizona residents should continue to carry their physical driver license or state ID card to use in other situations, including with law enforcement.

To learn more about mobile options for Arizona driver licenses and state IDs, please visit azdot.gov/DigitalIDs.

 

Arizonans can add licenses and state IDs to Google Wallet

Arizonans can add licenses and state IDs to Google Wallet

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Arizonans can add licenses and state IDs to Google Wallet

Arizonans can add licenses and state IDs to Google Wallet

October 18, 2023

ADOT MVD gives Arizona residents another way to carry their ID

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is adding another option for digital identification: Arizonans can now keep a digital driver license or state ID in Google Wallet.

This gives Arizonans three digital platforms to choose from. Arizona first offered the mobile driver license  in 2021, then in 2022 added Apple Wallet.

“Arizona is proud to again be one of the first states to give our residents the choice to add their ID to Google Wallet,” Arizona MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “We continue to seek out opportunities for products and services that provide Arizonans convenience, security and privacy.”

ADOT MVD embraces the motto, “Out of the line and safely on the road.” This is a nod to MVD’s commitment to reducing in-office wait times and offering customers a growing number of digital options, including the new technology of digital driver license and identification cards.

Arizona is among the first few states in the nation whose residents can add their MVD-issued driver license or state ID card to Google Wallet and securely present it as a valid ID at select TSA airport security checkpoints. Arizona residents should continue to carry their physical driver license or state ID card to use in other situations, including with law enforcement.

To learn more about mobile options for Arizona driver licenses and state IDs, please visit: azdot.gov/GoogleWallet.

 

 

ADOT, Homeless ID Project assist nearly 800 people in first month

ADOT, Homeless ID Project assist nearly 800 people in first month

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT, Homeless ID Project assist nearly 800 people in first month

ADOT, Homeless ID Project assist nearly 800 people in first month

September 21, 2023

Motor Vehicle Division station helps Phoenix facility’s clients get state-issued IDs

PHOENIX – An Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office opened on the Human Services Campus near downtown Phoenix issued state IDs to 780 people in August, its first full month of operations. 

MVD’s partnership with the Homeless ID Project enables clients experiencing instability or homelessness to get replacement driver licenses or state IDs without having to find transportation several miles to the nearest MVD office. State-issued IDs are essential for obtaining services and employment. 

Staffed 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday by an MVD representative, this office can be converted to a TeleMVD office in which customers can conduct many transactions with representatives located elsewhere.

The MVD presence complements the efforts of the Homeless ID Project, which during 2022 provided 12,143 documents, including 8,000 state-issued IDs and 4,000 replacement copies of birth certificates from all 50 states, on the Human Services Campus and in outreach programs across Maricopa and Pima counties. 

 

ADOT, Homeless ID Project join forces at Human Services Campus

ADOT, Homeless ID Project join forces at Human Services Campus

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT, Homeless ID Project join forces at Human Services Campus

ADOT, Homeless ID Project join forces at Human Services Campus

August 8, 2023

Motor Vehicle Division station helps Phoenix facility’s clients get state-issued IDs

PHOENIX – A partnership between the Homeless ID Project and the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is enabling clients at the Human Services Campus near downtown Phoenix to get replacement state-issued IDs without having to travel several miles to the nearest MVD office.

Clients experiencing instability or homelessness can now get IDs, which are essential for obtaining services and employment, in a campus office set up with the computer equipment, printer and scanner, and camera. Staffed 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday by an MVD representative, the office can be converted to a TeleMVD office in which customers can conduct many transactions with representatives located elsewhere.

“Clients who come to us for replacement ID services encounter one more barrier when faced with the 45-minute bus ride to the nearest MVD office. Now with MVD services available on campus, that barrier is removed. This is a huge win for our clients,” said Homeless ID Project Executive Director Rick Mitchell.

“This is another great opportunity where MVD can serve the community in ways previously not possible,” said Eric Jorgensen, ADOT Motor Vehicle Division Director. “This partnership is a first step in using technology to expand our reach and get services to the place they are needed at the moment our customers need them.

Homeless ID Project’s Director of Programs, Eric Ortega, added that, “Providing services to our clients experiencing homelessness in our office and meeting them where they’re at will make an enormously positive difference in obtaining identification. This will cut out the bus trips and waiting in the extreme summer heat as well as making it easier for the most vulnerable amongst the vulnerable to be assisted without the fear they can’t make it to an MVD office of their own. We are so appreciative to the MVD for making this happen and we know it will change our clients’ lives for the better.”

During 2022, Homeless ID Project provided 12,143 documents, including 8,000 state-issued IDs and 4,000 replacement copies of birth certificates from all 50 states, from their office in the Brian Garcia Welcome Center on the Human Services Campus and in outreach programs across Maricopa and Pima counties. Housing the MVD’s replacement ID services on campus in the Homeless ID Project offices will allow clients to receive replacement state-issued IDs, eliminating the need for them to travel to a MVD office, allowing them to continue the journey to end their homelessness sooner than ever before.

About ADOT MVD: 

Connecting Arizona. Everyone, everywhere, every day. The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division processed more than 14.5 million transactions during the previous fiscal year, approximately half of those were online through azmvdnow.gov, getting you out of the line and safely on the road.

About Homeless ID Project:

Homeless ID Project is a privately funded nonprofit whose mission is to empower homeless individuals and families to rebuild their lives by providing the critical first step of identification replacement services. The agency was founded in 1988 by Reverend Gerald Roseberry following a month of self‐imposed homelessness during which he discovered that many individuals experiencing homelessness wanting to get a job or find housing had no access to replacement documents that had been lost, stolen, or left behind. The agency now serves the community from two permanent locations and 12 shared space locations. The agency is currently running their 1000 Voices Campaign which seeks to add 1000 new supporters to the conversation on ending homelessness. More information is available at homelessidroject.org/1000-voices.

 

Number of Arizona Travel IDs now exceeds 2 million

Number of Arizona Travel IDs now exceeds 2 million

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Number of Arizona Travel IDs now exceeds 2 million

Number of Arizona Travel IDs now exceeds 2 million

May 31, 2023

Deadline is May 2025 if you wish to use state credential for travel

PHOENIX – With just under two years remaining before the federal deadline for domestic airline travelers to have a federally compliant ID, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has issued more than 2 million Arizona Travel ID cards.

May 7, 2025, might feel a long way off, but it’ll be here quickly. So join the 2,013,187 – and counting – Arizonans who have already upgraded to the Arizona Travel ID. 

As of the federal deadline, you will need a compliant credential like the Arizona Travel ID to get past Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at U.S. airports. Without the Arizona Travel ID or other form of compliant identification such as a valid U.S. passport, fliers risk missing an airline flight because the standard driver license will not be accepted at TSA checkpoints.

This federally compliant credential is distinguished by a star in the upper right corner and is available to Arizona residents as a driver license or identification card. 

 To get an Arizona Travel ID, federal standards require the following:

  • Proof of identity: a birth certificate or U.S. passport
  • Social Security Number: just the number, not the card
  • Two documents proving Arizona residency: rental or bank statements, credit card or cellphone bills in your name with your current Arizona address, etc.

You can walk into an office for this service, but we suggest scheduling an appointment at azmvdnow.gov. Even if you haven’t activated your AZ MVD NOW account, you can still schedule an appointment. 

More information, including a full list of qualifying documents, is available at azdot.gov/TravelID.

 

Arizonans are first in the nation to add driver licenses to Apple Wallet

Arizonans are first in the nation to add driver licenses to Apple Wallet

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Arizonans are first in the nation to add driver licenses to Apple Wallet

Arizonans are first in the nation to add driver licenses to Apple Wallet

March 23, 2022

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division embraces the motto, “Out of the line and safely on the road.” This is a nod to MVD’s commitment to putting Arizonans first by reducing in-office wait times and offering customers a growing number of digital options.

Today, ADOT MVD is aiming higher – literally – and that motto could easily be revised to “out of the line and safely in the sky.”

That’s because Arizona is the first state in the nation whose residents, beginning today, can add their MVD-issued driver license or state ID card to Apple Wallet on an iPhone or Apple Watch and securely present it as a valid ID at select TSA airport security checkpoints at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“With this technology, Arizonans are at the front of the line for experiencing a streamlined airport security process,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “This puts our state at the leading edge of a new technology that offers choice, convenience, privacy and security.”

After adding a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet, upon arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, travelers can use Apple Wallet to present their ID at designated TSA airport security checkpoints.

“Arizona is proud to be the first state to give our residents the choice to add their ID to Apple Wallet,” Arizona MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “We will continue to seek out opportunities for products and services that provide Arizonans security, privacy and ease of use.”

At this time, an Arizona driver license or state ID in Apple Wallet can be used to present a resident’s ID only at select TSA airport security checkpoints. This is a new technology and its use case will grow over time. Arizona residents should continue to carry their physical, plastic driver license or state ID card to use in other situations, including with law enforcement.

For more information on Arizona driver licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet, please

visit azdot.gov/AppleWallet and https://apple.co/wallet-id

How to add a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet

Adding a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet can be done in just a few simple steps. Arizona residents can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Apple Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID” and follow the on-screen instructions to start the set-up and verification process. You will need your physical MVD-issued driver license or ID card to add it to Apple Wallet.

Driver’s license and state ID in Apple Wallet is available on iPhone 8 or later running iOS 15.4, and Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.4 or later. 

How to use your Arizona ID in Apple Wallet at the airport

Arizona residents can present their driver license or state ID at participating TSA airport security checkpoints by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch at the identity reader. Upon tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch, customers will see a prompt on their device displaying which specific information is being requested by the TSA.  Only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from their device. Information is all shared digitally, so residents do not need to show or hand over their device to present their ID. 

Your Arizona driver license or state ID in Apple Wallet is secure

State IDs and driver licenses in Wallet are private and secure. If a resident loses their iPhone or Apple Watch, they can use the “Find My” app to easily lock their device and help locate it, or remotely erase their device.

Identity data is encrypted and protected against tampering and theft. The MVD and Apple do not know when or where residents present their IDs. Biometric authentication using Face ID and Touch ID ensures that only the person who added the ID to the device can view or present their ID or license in Apple Wallet.

Throwback Thursday: Suns' Gorilla gets a driver license

Throwback Thursday: Suns' Gorilla gets a driver license

Throwback Thursday: Suns' Gorilla gets a driver license

Throwback Thursday: Suns' Gorilla gets a driver license

By John LaBarbera / ADOT Communications
December 9, 2021

Last year’s NBA Western Conference champions are delightfully continuing their winning ways in the 2021-22 season.

After watching our hometown team go undefeated in November, we were reminded of the time more than twenty years ago that the Phoenix Suns' Gorilla lumbered over from his tree high atop the arena to the MVD and scored his driver license.

In 1995, "G. Gorilla," aced the written portion of his test. As for the driving? We were told he was an expert in three-point-turns and reverse pivots, and also committed no lane violations.

After getting two thumbs up from the road test administrator, basketball’s favorite mascot posed for his driver license photo and hopped in the team truck to for a road game.

We look forward to when the Gorilla returns to the MVD and upgrades his driver license to the Arizona Travel ID.

Are you interested in taking the steps to obtain a first driver license? If you’re under 18, you can start with the Permit Test @ Home. If you’re over 18, check out these resources.

And have you heard about this? The Phoenix Suns recently redesigned their specialty license plate! Learn all about it here.

Throwback Thursday: Rocky the Ringtail

Throwback Thursday: Rocky the Ringtail

Throwback Thursday: Rocky the Ringtail

Throwback Thursday: Rocky the Ringtail

By Laurie Merrill / ADOT Communications
November 18, 2021

Most of us in Arizona can probably go whole days, if not months or even years, without paying much thought to the ringtail, Arizona’s official state mammal.

But chances are, most of you are carrying a photo of it in your wallet. That’s because, in 2014, the Arizona Department of Transportation included a picture of this elusive animal on the redesigned driver licenses.

You can seeing it lounging on the bottom right hand corner. For today’s Throwback Thursday, we are throwing back to 2014, when ADOT held a “name the ringtail” contest. We thought the little creature deserved a nickname, so we asked all of you for ideas.  

You submitted plenty of suggestions. Ringo, Kai, Copper and even Lord Voldemort were among hundreds of entries.

But in the end, it was Rory, who at the time was a 7-year-old girl from Peoria, who came up with the winner: “Rocky” the ringtail was christened! Rory is pictured in the black and white dress to the right.

So what is a ringtail? Is it a cat, or a lemur? It’s actually related to the coati and raccoon.

The following information comes from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum:

Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) have long tails with alternating bands of white and black fur. They have large eyes surrounded by white rings of fur, large rounded ears, short legs and a long grayish colored body.

Ringtails are omnivores which means they will eat just about anything if it is the right size. Some of their food choices are fruit, insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals such as mice, woodrat's, squirrels, as well as birds and bird eggs

You can get more information at the Arizona Game and Fish Department website.

As for Rory and her family, they visited MVD headquarters in Phoenix to receive her awards – a stuffed animal (a ringtail, of course!), a special license plate and a pink ADOT hard hat.

Olivia Rodrigo has her ‘Drivers License.’ Do you?

Olivia Rodrigo has her ‘Drivers License.’ Do you?

Olivia Rodrigo has her ‘Drivers License.’ Do you?

Olivia Rodrigo has her ‘Drivers License.’ Do you?

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications
January 26, 2021

Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Drivers License” has taken the music world by storm, shattering streaming and airplay records and debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

While we here at the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division aren’t hit songwriters or noted music critics, we are professionals at issuing driver licenses and feel we can speak with some authority on this topic.

Both parents and teens can feel anxiety when a teen is learning to drive, but otaining a permit or driver license shouldn't cause any stress. When it comes time for teens to get their license, here are the steps for first-time drivers younger than 18 years old:

First, check the permit and license requirements.

Next, you’ll need to take the written test to get an Instruction Permit. The written test can be taken at an MVD office – appointments are required – but we suggest doing the Permit Test @ Home through AZMVDNow.gov. Study the Arizona Driver Manual and take a few practice tests to ensure you’re prepared for the written test. Participating Arizona Professional Driving School trainers can also administer the written test. 

After the written test is passed, it’s time to get your Instruction Permit. Use the teen’s AZ MVD Now account to schedule an appointment at an MVD office or visit an Authorized Third Party driver license provider. Don’t forget to bring a completed application and all necessary original supporting documents.

Now, you’ve got your instruction permit! But don’t go off driving by yourself “through the suburbs” just yet -- permit-holders must have a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age in the front seat next to them at all times

Finally, after meeting requirements, schedule a road test so you can get your “Driver’s License!”