New Hampshire residents will soon be able to carry an electronic version of their driver’s license in their cell phone
s or other devices, although they will still have to also keep a physical license on their person while driving.
Legislation set to go into effect January 1, 2026 instructs the Division of Motor Vehicles to create a system for offering
mobile licenses to anyone with a physical license who requests one for
a yet-to-be determined fee. The law further instructs DMV to offer non-driver identification cards in electronic format as well.
The measure was part of the budget bill signed ito law last week by Gov. Kelly Ayotte.
The DMV may contract with one or more entities to develop the electronic credential system. The law is expected to
cost about $2 million to implement in 2026. The system must integrate with DMV records and comply with establishe
d security and interoperability standards.
The system would allow individuals to carry their driver’s license and i
dentification credentials digitally on mobile devices, such as smart phones, and in third party wallets like Apple Wallet.
The law makes clear that while electronic credential holders must provide their physical credential whe
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n requested by law enforcement, they are not required to relinquish possession of their mobile device to any party
for the acceptance of an electronic credential.
Mobile licenses can be used when age verification is requ
ired as when purchasing alcohol and in online transactions with so
me health, financial, or government organizations that ask for identification and for airport security checks.
Mobile driver’s licenses are gaining traction with states. According to IDScan, these states now offer some form of digi
tal identification or license: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Utah, and West Virginia, along with Puerto Rico.