LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky residents can now download an app that contains a secure digital version of a standard or REAL ID driver's license.
The Kentucky Mobile ID will be accepted for air travel at more than 250 airports, according to a news release from Gov. Andy Beshear's office.
The ID is a voluntary version of a Kentucky residents' driver's licenses, permits or ID cards. It can be used for air travel, age-restricted purchases or transactions requiring verification at participating establishments. It's stored on the user's smartphone as a valid form of ID. Because it's locked behind the phone's PIN, Touch ID or Face ID, the information will be blocked if the phone is lost or stolen.
The digital ID can be presented at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints to verify a user's identity. It also helps protect privacy by sharing only the information needed, according to the release.
"Mobile ID offers Kentuckians more options for air travel, while further protecting them from identity theft or having their private information shared," Beshear said in a news release.
Kentuckians with a state license, permit or ID card can request digital versions through the app. Residents that register for a mobile ID using a standard driver’s license but are approved for a REAL ID at a Driver Licensing Regional Office will have their upgraded status reflected on the app within days before their physical card arrives in the mail, according to the release.
Eighteen other states and Puerto Rico offer mobile IDs.
"Everything’s in your phone; now your ID can be too," KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said in the release. "A digital ID serves as an addition to a physical ID, allowing Kentuckians convenience when proving their identity. One of the biggest benefits is letting cardholders limit showing only necessary personal information during a transaction or service, like withholding your address when proving your age to buy restricted items."
The mobile ID may not be accepted at all Kentucky businesses or state agencies, so residents should continue to carry a hard copy of their driver’s license or state identification. Also, state law requires police to request physical operators’ licenses when conducting traffic stops or responding to a crash.
According to the release, the mobile ID is accepted at TSA security checkpoints at most U.S. airports, including the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in Covington, the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah, and Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.
How to Get Your Kentucky Mobile ID
- Download the Kentucky Mobile ID Verify app from the App Store or through Google Play.
- Register the phone number of the Mobile ID device. An individual’s Mobile ID can only be on one device at a time to help protect their identity.
- Take a picture of the front and back of your physical ID (driver license, permit, or non-driver ID), using their phone’s camera.
- Take a live selfie. The app checks your photo and ID against information on file with your Transportation Cabinet driving record to ensure you are who you say you are.
Once your information is verified, your Mobile ID is active and ready to use. CLICK HERE to learn more about Kentucky Mobile ID.
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