Violet JiraThe pain is almost universal — finally getting to the front of the line at a bar, putting your items on the counter at the liquor store or worst of all, seeing blue lights in your rear-view mirror — and realizing you’ve forgotten your identification at home.
Mississippians now have the opportunity to curb that inconvenience by downloading the Mississippi Mobile ID app — a new program that allows Mississippians to carry a valid copy of their state-issued IDs on their phone.
Here in Oxford, Oxford Police Department officials say residents should continue to carry physical copies of their ID, even if they have a virtual copy handy.
“According to the way Mississippi law is right now, it is a valid form of ID,” said Breck Jones, OPD’s public information officer. “But, the way the law is right now, you’re still required to carry a physical copy of your driver’s license, per se.”
As for businesses, Jones stated that acceptance of the mobile ID was at the discretion of the business — The Daily Mississippian reached out to several local establishments, but were unable to find any that were aware of the new mobile ID and actively accepting it.
The DPS is offering the Mississippi Mobile ID as a convenient, secure and private way to make sure your ID is always handy.
“Mobile ID is a highly secure, digitized version of your driver license or state-issued ID, carried in an app on your smartphone,” the Driver Service Bureau website reads. “In today’s health-conscious environment, Mobile ID offers the convenience of a contactless method for verifying identity.”
The app, which is available for Apple and Android users, will prompt you to register your phone number, scan your physical ID, take a selfie and set-up a form of app security (such as FaceID or a PIN). Once this step is completed, users will have a valid copy of their ID at the touch of their fingertips.
