The ISO 18013-5 Standard Explained
Mobile Driver's Licenses (mDLs) Get a Standardized Boost with ISO 18013-5
In a world increasingly moving towards digital transformation, the need for secure, standardized mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) has never been more pressing. Enter ISO 18013-5, an international framework jointly developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), designed to create a trusted digital identity format for mDLs.
A Decade-Long Evolution
The history behind ISO 18013-5 reflects a decade-long evolution from informal digital ID concepts towards a standardized, interoperable, and secure framework. Before its formalization, there was no standardized method to represent and exchange driver’s license information digitally. The standard was specifically created to enable verifiers who are not affiliated with the issuing authority to authenticate license information securely, while giving the license holder control over what information is shared.
Key Features and Benefits
ISO 18013-5 defines how mDLs should communicate with verification systems, emphasizing cryptographically secure data transfers to prevent tampering and unauthorized access. The primary objective of the standard is to enable safe and reliable digital identification, safeguarding the privacy of mDL holders and ensuring data integrity.
The standard impacts mDLs in key areas such as establishing secure data transmission, enabling selective disclosure of information, ensuring cross-border interoperability, supporting secure identity verification, facilitating remote management and updates, and compatibility with existing ID systems. By enabling verification of only the necessary details, businesses can lower the risk of fraud and associated liabilities, while maintaining customer privacy.
Expanding the Ecosystem
Following ISO 18013-5, additional related standards have been developed, such as ISO/IEC 18013-7:2025, which specifies protocols for remote, online presentation of mDLs using browser-based scenarios. This expansion of the mDL ecosystem makes these digital identities more versatile and accessible, enhancing their practicality across various scenarios.
Empowering Individuals and Businesses
ISO 18013-5 allows individuals to maintain control over their personal data through selective data-sharing options, such as verifying age without disclosing additional personal details. The standard supports digital issuance and renewal processes, helping reduce administrative costs and streamline the management of driver's licenses. For businesses, the standard provides a reliable and secure method for website verification, reducing customer onboarding time and enhancing user experience.
Global Acceptance and Improved Public Safety
The standard facilitates the international acceptance of mDLs, allowing for trust and use across borders, essential for global travel and international transactions. Governments benefit from more reliable digital identification tools for law enforcement and other services, improving both convenience and public safety. Interoperability across states and countries was another key driver behind the development of ISO 18013-5, to ensure mDLs are universally accepted without jurisdictional limitations.
In conclusion, ISO 18013-5 represents a significant step forward in the digital identity ecosystem, providing a secure, standardized, and interoperable framework for mobile driver’s licenses. As the world continues to embrace digital transformation, the need for such a standard will only grow, ensuring that mDLs remain a trusted and reliable form of digital identity for years to come.
The standardization of mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) by ISO 18013-5 opens up opportunities for businesses to leverage cloud computing and technology, as it defines how mDLs communicate with verification systems securely, ensuring data integrity and enabling remote management.With the development of additional standards such as ISO/IEC 18013-7:2025, the mDL ecosystem becomes more versatile, making it possible for personal-finance industries to support secure identity verification, ultimately reducing fraud risks and liabilities while upholding customer privacy.*
