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Marylanders enrolled in TSA precheck can show ID with Apple Wallet at BWI, Reagan National Airports

Currently, only TSA PreCheck users can use Maryland Mobile ID, but digitized identification is expected to become more acceptable at certain establishments.

MARYLAND, USA — Marylanders can breathe a little easier now if one of the most stressful parts of going to the airport is making sure you remember a form of identification. 

The state has teamed up with Apple and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create a new technology called "Maryland Mobile ID" that allows iPhone users heading to the airport to use their Maryland-issued driver's license or identification card in their Apple wallet. So, instead of digging through your wallet for your license as you're holding heavy bags, now you can use your phone to get through security. 

Maryland is the second state in the nation, following Arizona, to offer the use of this technology at select airports. As of Wednesday, TSA PreCheck users at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington can use the Maryland Mobile ID to get through security.

TSA’s Federal Security Director for BWI Christopher Murgia called the technology a "milestone" for the security agency, saying it will provide "a secure and seamless airport security screening process."

“Mobile device technologies are continually evolving to provide a safer experience for residents, and TSA is committed to expanding use of these technologies wherever possible to enhance airport security and facilitate greater accuracy in identity verification at TSA checkpoints,” Murgia said. 

State officials say that people who enroll in the Mobile ID will still be required to have at the ready a physical form of appropriate identification in case a TSA requires it. 

It is highly recommended that anyone who enrolls in the program does so before arriving at the TSA checkpoint.

While the digitized form of identification is only accepted at limited places at this time, MDOT says on its website, "In time, Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet can be used by any business, government entity, or law enforcement agency to verify a person's identity -- the same way your physical Driver's License/Identification Card is used to verify your identity."

MDOT did not indicate on its website whether there is something like this in the works for Android users.

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