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Digital ID Cards Debut For New Yorkers: How To Get Yours

NYC-dwellers are now able to show a “highly secure digital version” of their state-issued ID cards. Here’s what it means for New Yorkers.

 

NYC-dwellers are now able to show a “highly secure digital version” of their state-issued ID cards. Here’s what it means for New Yorkers.
NYC-dwellers are now able to show a “highly secure digital version” of their state-issued ID cards. Here’s what it means for New Yorkers. (Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office)

NEW YORK, NY — No physical ID? No problem.

New Yorkers are now able to show a “highly secure digital version” of their state-issued driver license, learner permit or ID on a smartphone, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. The application is currently available to IOS and Android users through the Apple Store and Google Play, respectively.

“We’re thrilled to give New Yorkers access to this cutting-edge technology which provides convenience and added security for Mobile ID users and those who accept it,” Hochul said in a statement. “Not only will New Yorkers be able to quickly display their IDs, but they will have control over the personal information they share.”

Dubbed “MiD,” the free digital identification card will be registered to a user’s phone number and allow users to reveal some data and not others, such as their date of birth while leaving their home address hidden.

“It can only be unlocked through FaceID, TouchID, or a 6-digit PIN that you set up, so if someone does access your phone, they will not be able to open your Mobile ID app,” New York State DMV spokesperson Lisa Koumjian told Patch.

The card is a “voluntary product” designed for convenience and security, Koumjian added, and won’t replace physical cards entirely — at least, not yet.

“Because it is voluntary, for now, New Yorkers are advised to continue to carry their physical ID because some businesses may not accept it,” Koumjian said.

The mobile IDs will be valid at restaurants, bars and entertainment hubs that accept them, as well as nearly 30 airports across the nation (yes, that includes all terminals at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports). Other states that accept mobile forms of identification, like California, Colorado and Maryland, will accept New Yorkers’ cards.

“We are pleased to be able to add this state-of-the-art digital ID to the list of acceptable IDs at our security checkpoints,” TSA’s Federal Security Director for LaGuardia Airport Robert Duffy said in a statement.

“Travelers who want to take advantage of this new capability will find that their New York mobile drivers license is a convenient option when going through the security process.”

How to Get a New York Mobile ID

New Yorkers can get a New York MiD by taking the following steps, according to the governor’s website:

  1. Download the New York Mobile ID app from the App Store or through Google Play.
  2. Register the phone number of the device the Mobile ID will be on. An individual’s Mobile ID can only be on one device at a time to help protect their identity.
  3. Take a picture of the front and back of their physical ID (driver license, non-driver ID, or Learner Permit), using their phone’s camera.
  4. Pose for a selfie. The app checks your photo and ID against information on file with the DMV to ensure you are who you say you are.
  5. Once your information is verified, your MiD is active and ready to use wherever it is accepted.

Still having trouble registering? Watch a step-by-step tutorial on how to enroll.

CREDIT:Nicole Rosenthal, Patch Staff