Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Waiver for Mobile Driver's Licenses

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY <CFR>6 CFR Part 37</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. TSA-2023-0002]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1652-AA76</RIN> <SUBJECT>Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Waiver for Mobile Driver's Licenses</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending the REAL ID regulations to waive, on a temporary and State-by-State basis, the regulatory requirement that mobile or digital driver's licenses or identification cards (collectively “mobile driver's licenses” or “mDLs”) must be compliant with REAL ID requirements to be accepted by Federal agencies for official purposes, as defined by the REAL ID Act, when full enforcement of the REAL ID Act and regulations begins on May 7, 2025. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> <E T="03">Effective date:</E> This rule is effective November 25, 2024. <E T="03">Incorporation by Reference:</E> The incorporation by reference of certain material listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of November 25, 2024. The incorporation by reference of certain other material listed in the rule was approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of January 14, 2016. </EFFDATE> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> <E T="03">Technical questions:</E> George Petersen, Senior Program Manager, REAL ID Program, Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs, Transportation Security Administration; telephone: (571) 227-2215; email: <E T="03">george.petersen@tsa.dhs.gov.</E> <E T="03">Legal questions:</E> Anurag Maheshwary, Attorney Advisor, Office of Chief Counsel, Transportation Security Administration; telephone: (571) 227-4812; email: <E T="03">anurag.maheshwary@tsa.dhs.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Availability of Rulemaking Document</HD> You can find an electronic copy of this rulemaking using the internet by accessing the Government Publishing Office's web page at <E T="03">https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/FR/</E> to view the daily published <E T="04">Federal Register</E> edition or accessing the Office of the Federal Register's web page at <E T="03">https://www.federalregister.gov.</E> Copies are also available by contacting the individual identified for “Technical Questions” in the <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> section. Make sure to identify the docket number of this rulemaking. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Abbreviations and Terms Used in This Document</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AAMVA—American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CA/Browser Forum—Certification Authority Browser Forum</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CISA—Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DHS—U.S. Department of Homeland Security</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EDL—Enhanced driver's license and identification card</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FIPS—Federal Information Processing Standards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HSM—Hardware security module</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IBR—Incorporation by reference or Incorporate by reference</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IEC—International Electrotechnical Commission</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ISO—International Organization for Standardization</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IT—Information technology</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">mDL—Mobile driver's license and mobile identification card</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NIST—National Institute for Standards and Technology</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NPRM—Notice of proposed rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OFR—Office of Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OMB—Office of Management and Budget</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PUB—Publication</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RFI—Request for information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SP—Special publication</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TSA—Transportation Security Administration</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of this Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of the Major Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Need for a Multi-Phased Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. REAL ID Act, Regulations, and Applicability to mDLs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Rulemaking History</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. mDL Overview</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Industry Standards and Government Guidelines for mDLs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. General Discussion of the Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Changes Between NPRM and Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of Regulatory Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Specific Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Impacted Stakeholders</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Use Cases Affected by This Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Severability</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Discussion of Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Waiver Eligibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Conditions on Federal Agencies Accepting mDLs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Waiver Application Criteria</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. TSA Waiver Application Guidance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. General Concerns About mDLs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Scope of Rulemaking and mDL Acceptance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Privacy</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Waiver Validity Period and Renewals</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Vendor and Technology “Lock-in” Effects</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Pseudonymous Validation and On-Device Biometric Matching</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Access to Standards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Standards and Standards Development Generally</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. TSA's Identity Verification Policies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">N. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">O. Legal Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">P. Economic Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">Q. Communicating Status of Waiver; System Disruptions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">R. Impact of Waiver on States Currently Testing mDLs With TSA</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">S. Notice for Changes to State mDL Issuance Processes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">T. Clarification Regarding “Days”</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">U. Audit Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">V. Appendix A to Subpart A: mDL Issuance Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">W. Protection of Sensitive Security Information in Waiver Applications</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Consultation With States and the Department of Transportation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Regulatory Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Economic Impact Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Federalism (E.O. 13132)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Customer Service (E.O. 14058)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Energy Impact Analysis (E.O. 13211)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Environmental Analysis</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Purpose of This Rulemaking</HD> This rule is part of an incremental, multi-phased rulemaking that will culminate in the promulgation of comprehensive requirements that enable States to issue mobile driver's licenses and mobile identification cards (collectively “mDLs”) that comply with the REAL ID Act of 2005 (“REAL ID Act” or “Act”) and regulations  <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> [hereinafter “REAL ID-Compliant”]. In this first phase, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is making two changes to the current regulations in 6 CFR part 37, “REAL ID Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards.” First, TSA is adding definitions for, among others, mobile driver's licenses and mobile identification cards. These definitions provide a precise explanation of those terms as referenced in the REAL ID Act, which applies to only State-issued driver's licenses and State-issued identification cards. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> Any other types of identification cards, such as those issued by a Federal agency, or commercial, educational, or non-profit entity, are beyond the scope of the REAL ID Act and regulations, and hence this rulemaking, because they do not meet the definition of driver's license or identification card as defined by the REAL ID Act. The definition of “mDL” as used in this rulemaking is limited strictly to the REAL ID Act and regulations and does not include “mDLs” as defined by other entities. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  The REAL ID Act of 2005, Division B Title II of the FY05 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, as amended, Public Law 109-13, 119 Stat. 302 (May 11, 2005) (codified at 49 U.S.C. 30301 note) [hereinafter “REAL ID Act”]; 6 CFR part 37. Effective May 22, 2023, authority to administer the REAL ID program was delegated from the Secretary of Homeland Security to the Administrator of TSA pursuant to DHS Delegation No. 7060.2.1. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> sec. 201 of the REAL ID Act (defining a “driver's license” to include “driver's licenses stored or accessed via electronic means, such as mobile or digital driver's licenses, which have been issued in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary”; mirroring definition for “identification card”). </FTNT> Second, TSA is establishing a temporary waiver process that permits Federal agencies to accept mDLs for official purposes, <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> as defined in the REAL ID Act and regulations, on an interim basis when full enforcement begins on May 7, 2025, <SU>4</SU> <FTREF/> but only if TSA has issued a waiver to the State. To qualify for the waiver, this final rule requires States to (1) be in full compliance with all applicable REAL ID requirements as defined in su ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 359k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━