Need to show someone your Illinois driver’s license or state ID? You may soon be able to show a digital version on your smartphone. If bipartisan legislation being championed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias passes the general assembly, implementation could occur as early as 2025.
The legislation would not eliminate physical driver’s licenses, but instead digital IDs would act as a companion to a physical card. If approved, Illinois would join 12 other states already offering digital forms of identification. Another 18 states are currently working toward implementation, according to Giannoulias. Giannoulis says the move to digitals IDs represents a growing trend across the country as the technology has become even more fraud-resistant than physical cards.