How to use the soon to be New York Mobile ID (MiD) app

New York State DMV officials say they're one step closer to allowing residents to have their driver's licenses and state IDs on their mobile devices.

"Everything is on your cell phone these days, and now, your ID can be too," DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said during a Tuesday press conference. 

New York mobile ID

State residents can use the app (MiD) to verify their identities directly from their mobile phones at TSA checkpoints at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as well as 25 other participating airports around the country. 

Some believe mobile licenses – or digital IDs – will give people more privacy by allowing them to decide what personal information they share.

How to use New York MiD app

The app promises to provide a contactless way for users to verify their identity while protecting their privacy and ensuring security.

Mobile ID holders can access their ID by unlocking the app using their facial recognition or a personal six-digit PIN. 

Officials said that users are in full control of how much of their identification is shared at a given time. 

The new mobile ID will not replace the physical card right away, so users are encouraged to bring their physical license just in case.

Anyone who has a valid, state-issued driver's license, learner permit or non-driver ID can download the secure Mobile ID app through Google Play or the App Store.