MONTANA – The state of Montana has taken the next step in allowing technologically savvy residents to simplify their wallets — not only can you pay with a single tap, you can also verify your identity.

Montana’s Motor Vehicle Division announced on Aug. 19 it was beginning to roll out Montana Mobile IDs, allowing Montanans with iPhones, Android devices and Apple watches to securely carry a state-issued ID or driver’s license on the device. Just over a dozen other states have adopted mobile ID technology.

Columbia Falls Rep. Braxton Mitchell, one of the legislature’s youngest representatives, sponsored House Bill 519 in 2023 to authorize the use of digital driver’s licenses for drivers, to begin Sept. 1, 2025.

“As a Gen Z lawmaker, I sponsored this bill to give Montanans the option to add their driver’s license to their digital wallet. Digital IDs are extremely secure, encrypted, and harder to fake than a traditional plastic ID,” Mitchell said in a statement. “This is a commonsense step to modernize services by adding IDs to the same place where you can already store your credit cards, insurance cards, flight tickets, and concert tickets, making life more convenient for those who choose to use it.”

Mitchell further bolstered the program during the most recent session with legislation that allows businesses to use digital IDs to verify an individual’s age for restricted sales such as alcohol and tobacco, or in gambling establishments. The new law also clarified that businesses cannot store data from an ID, or sell or transfer it to a third party.

Mitchell told the Daily Montanan in a phone interview that while it’s taken two years for the MVD to get the program up and running, the uptake has been quick, and he’s heard positive feedback from constituents.

“The first couple of days, they told me they had about 500 people enrolled, and I know they’re into the thousands now, if not the tens of thousands,” Mitchell said on Thursday. “It seems like it’s been a pretty good response without much media outreach about it.”

Representatives from MVD did not respond to requests for comment on the rollout or how many Montanans had verified their digital ID.

“We have spent the last three years modernizing MVD and improving operating efficiencies and customer service,” MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said in a press release. “Now that we have overhauled the basics, we are excited to embark on an era of innovation, starting with Montana Mobile IDs and the Montana Mobile ID Verifier for Android and iOS mobile devices.”

Supporting businesses, ensuring privacy

How to add a Montana mobile ID 

While the process is in place for any individual to add a mobile ID to their mobile wallets, the uptake on the business side might take more time before becoming widespread.

The state also launched its own verification app as a tool for businesses to accept mobile IDs and verify an individual’s age as 18+ or 21+, but there isn’t a requirement for businesses to utilize it.

“The division has guided the alcohol and cannabis industries through our website, in-person meetings over the past few months, and direct push notifications to those who have signed up to receive updates from the department,” Cannabis & Alcohol Regulation Division Administrator Kristan Barbour told the Daily Montanan.

Barbour said in the first few days of the roll out, the division had not received any feedback from businesses about the program.

Establishments that sell age-restricted items, such as alcohol, can use the Montana Mobile ID Verifier app, or other approved electronic readers, but the decision to accept mobile IDs is on a business-by-business basis, so Montanans might not be able to use them at their local brewery or grocery store yet.

The Montana Gambling Control Division also endorsed the state’s companion verification app for any gambling establishments.

“It’s secure and easy to use, which will make it a great addition to the services establishments already offer their customers,” Gambling Control Division Administrator Alex Sterhan said in a press release.

The Motor Vehicle Division said that Montanans should still carry a hard-copy of their ID or driver’s license with them for verification purposes, as adoption of the technology continues growing.

The Montana Highway Patrol anticipates having the ability to verify mobile IDs before the end of the year, according to a press release, but representatives with MHP did not respond to questions from the Daily Montanan about a timeline for adoption.

Mitchell said he and other colleagues in the Legislature who focus on digital privacy have continued to look at how to ensure Montanan’s are secure when using this new technology.

One additional bill passed in 2025, Senate Bill 124, sponsored by Sen. Ken Bogner, R-Miles City, clarifies that if an individual hands a law enforcement officer their phone as their identification, that does not mean they consent to having their device searched.

Bogner said in a press statement that digital IDs are a great tool for individuals worried about losing their physical ID.

“If you are worried about losing your license or having it stolen and winding up in the wrong hands, this is for you,” Bogner said. “This gives Montanans the option to securely carry their encrypted ID on their devices, protecting personal information and limiting data exposure through lost or stolen physical credentials.”

Montana to ‘set the tone for other states’

As mobile IDs become more widespread nationwide, the federal government is also transitioning various agencies to be able to utilize the technology.

The TSA has announced it accepts digital IDs issued from 16 states and Puerto Rico, including Montana Mobile IDs in a Google or Apple wallet.

In Montana, mobile IDs can be used at the state’s largest airports — Billings, Bozeman, Glacier Park, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula — but TSA states all passengers should also carry an acceptable physical ID.

Mitchell told the Daily Montanan that over the last week, he’s heard from businesses and individuals across the state curious how the program will work, but that “the vast majority is very excited about it.”

“You can’t fake this ID. You can’t use a screen shot. It’s a live, encoded verification process,” Mitchell said, pointing out that it could be particularly beneficial in college towns to verify the ages of younger adults.

He added that he expects Montana to continue to be a leader on modernizing its code and integrating new technology.

“We’re one of the first states to do the whole process of rolling this out,” Mitchell said. “I think we’re definitely going to set the tone for other states to follow.”

Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.