Kentucky launches mobile digital ID accepted for air travel

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

FRANKFORT, Ky., (KBSI) — Kentucky residents can now access a state-approved digital version of their driver’s license or identification card through a free, secure smartphone app that is accepted at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at more than 250 U.S. airports, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Tuesday.

The Kentucky Mobile ID allows users to verify their identity for air travel and other age- or identity-restricted transactions at participating locations while controlling what personal information is shared. The digital ID does not replace a physical driver’s license or state ID, which residents are still required to carry.

Beshear said the program is part of the state’s efforts to modernize licensing services and reduce the risk of identity theft. The mobile ID shares only necessary information during verification and is protected by a phone’s security features, such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition.

The digital credential is optional and is available to Kentuckians who hold a valid state driver’s license, permit or ID card. Its authenticity is verified through records maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Residents who upgrade to a REAL ID will see the change reflected in the app shortly after approval, before the physical card arrives by mail.

Federal REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025, requiring an approved form of identification for commercial air travel and access to certain federal facilities.

Kentucky joins 18 other states and Puerto Rico in offering the IDEMIA Mobile ID app. In Kentucky, the mobile ID is accepted at TSA checkpoints at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Blue Grass Airport in Lexington and Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah.

State officials emphasized that not all businesses or agencies accept mobile IDs and that law enforcement must still be shown a physical license during traffic stops or crash investigations.

More information about Kentucky Mobile ID, including instructions for downloading and registering the app, is available at Mobile-ID – DRIVE.