Dear Community Stakeholders:
On October 30, 2019, the Governor of the State of Colorado issued the attached Executive Order supporting the widespread adoption of digital personal identification technology. This Industry-Wide Bulletin is intended to provide merchant stakeholders with notice of the Governor’s directives to all executive branch agencies in the state and recommendations for merchants with regard to digital personal identification technology.
Please review all of the information contained in and attached to this Industry-Wide Bulletin to ensure that your business understands the implications of this Executive Order.
The Executive Order’s directives were the result of a collaborative effort between the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) to keep pace with the expanding use of technology in all aspects of life by increasing digital access to government services without the need for a physical identification card.
The Division of Motor Vehicles is committed to working closely with merchants and business organizations to answer questions and provide information on how to validate the Colorado Digital ID™ and to understand how the digital ID may be used in business transactions as a result of the Executive Order.
Please be aware that this Industry-Wide Bulletin and attached content is not intended to constitute legal advice. If you have specific questions about any legal matter, you should consult your attorney or other professional legal services provider(s).
For more information please visit, mycolorado.state.co.us.
Colorado Digital Personal Identification Policy Statement
October 30, 2019
- As the official mobile application for the State of Colorado, myColorado™ is being developed to meet the growing expectation of digital-based government services and the increase in smartphone use for everyday transactions.
- Identity verification is required for access to many government-based services.
- Beginning on October 30, 2019, Colorado Digital ID shall be authorized, and may be accepted, as a legal form of personal identification for use in Colorado.
- Beginning December 1, 2019, all executive branch agencies may accept Colorado Digital ID as a method to prove a person’s identity where a physical driver license or other State identification is currently required.
- All state law enforcement agencies are initially exempt from the directives in this Executive Order and are encouraged to accept Colorado Digital ID by November 30, 2020.
- This means that merchants may start accepting Colorado Digital ID for proof of identity and age within Colorado on October 30, 2019, and state agencies may start accepting it on December 1, 2019. Because Colorado Digital ID will be accepted over time, and law enforcement is not required to accept it initially, Coloradans may use their Digital ID for convenience but must also carry their physical driver license or state ID.
- The Colorado Digital ID, stored within the myColorado app, is a legal digital representation of a Colorado driver license within Colorado and, therefore, is valid for acceptance anywhere age or identity verification is required.
- There are several ways to test that a Colorado Digital ID is legitimate:
- Ask the holder to rotate the phone to see if the free-floating flower hologram appears to move. If it does not move, the image is a static photo and not the hologram, indicating a counterfeit.
- Ask the holder to press on the Digital ID so you can see if the text size changes.
- Ask the holder to close the app, restart it, log back in, and show their Colorado Digital ID within the myColorado app.
- If you’re still unsure that the person is who they say they are, you can ask to see their physical driver license or ID card. Colorado Digital ID is a complement to the physical ID at this time, not a replacement for it.
- This Executive Order authorizes the development of a Colorado Digital ID that will allow state driver license and identification card holders to use a digital representation of the license or identification card (digital identity) as proof of identity and age to do business with state, county and business officers operating within Colorado with an initial exemption of law enforcement agencies.