Big changes coming to New Jersey driver's licenses

⭕ NJ moves closer to doing away with physical driver's licenses

⭕ Legislation would direct the MVC to create digital licenses you can keep on your phone

⭕ Several states have already made the change

New Jersey is a step closer to doing away with physical driver's licenses and allowing residents to keep their credentials on their phones.

The Senate Transportation Committee advanced a measure (S1297) this week that directs the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to create mobile driver's licenses.

The bill sponsors, Sens. Patrick Deignan (D-Middlesex) and Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) argue the mobile licenses will be completely secure and will bring New Jersey "into the 21st century."

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The NJMVC has been moving toward offering more digital options for customers. In March, they began offering a mobile version of your vehicle registration.

New Jersey already accepts mobile versions of insurance ID cards as valid proof of insurance during a traffic stop.

A digital driver's license would be as valid as a physical license when asked to produce your ID by a law enforcement officer.

Other States already offer mobile licenses

According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, 11 states currently offer a digital license option.

They are: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri and Utah.

Maryland was among the first to offer a digital driver's license and in 2023 introduced technology to load the licenses into Google and Apple wallet apps.

Officials say the digital licenses offer a greater degree is privacy, allowing users to share only requested information while hiding other data contained on the license.

Police officers would be able to scan your mobile device for proof of a valid license under a proposal moving through the New Jersey Legislature.
AAMVA.org

Will a digital license be valid for air travel?

Yes.

It already is accepted at more than two dozen airports, including John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports in New York City.

Newark Liberty international Airport does not yet accept digital driver's licenses as proof of ID.

How will it work?

According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, secure versions of a driver's license are uploaded to your phone in real time. This can reflect any change in status of your driving privileges or any other changes to status.

During a traffic stop, a police officer would scan the license and receive the information to his scanning device.

At an airport, similar scanners would be used at TSA checkpoints to verify your identity.

Merchants could also purchase scanners to, for example, verify your age when purchasing alcohol.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

When will they be available in New Jersey?

Not any time soon.

The legislation still needs to be approved by the full senate and assembly and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

If that happens, the NJMVC will be given 72 months to develop the technology before implementing a new digital driver's license.

Even if New Jersey offers digital driver's licenses, physical licenses would still be available.

New Jersey's license plate designs through the years

Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba

Most annoying things about driving with a Jersey driver

As anyone who's driven in New Jersey knows, it's not easy driving in New Jersey. You know what also isn't easy? Riding shotgun with a Jersey driver. So Steve Trevelise asked his Facebook following what the most annoying thing about driving with a Jersey driver is, here's some of what they came up with.

Gallery Credit: Steve Trevelise