Colorado Approves Digital IDs as Legal Form of Identification

November 5, 2019

The governor of Colorado issued an executive order on Oct. 30 indicating that digital identifications such as drivers licenses and non-driver IDs will be valid forms of identification beginning Dec. 1, 2019.

The Digital ID enables Coloradans to create an electronic version of their Colorado driver license or state identification (ID) card, and can be displayed on smartphones for proof of identification, age, and address within Colorado.

The executive Order states that the Colorado Digital ID shall be authorized, and may be accepted, as a legal form of personal identification for use in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis encourages the Colorado business community to begin accepting the Digital ID.

“We are rapidly moving to support the use of mobile digital identity solutions that allow any of us to verify our identity and conduct business without the need to carry a plastic identification card,” Polis said.

This is an important change in states that have passed remote online notary legislation and obtaining the required identification. As an example, Ohio’s law requires “satisfactory evidence” for the identification requirement. The question is whether Ohio would accept a Colorado digital ID when an Ohio Notary is notarizing documents for someone in Colorado. According to the Ohio Secretary of State, digital IDs would be a valid form of identification because they are legal in Colorado.

Implementation of Iowa's digital drivers license technology has been pushed back to 2020.  


Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.