(NewsNation) — Airport passengers across the United States will now have an easier way to get through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
Arkansas this week became the latest state to allow passengers to use digital identification instead of a physical license or ID, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Mobile IDs can also be shown in place of a boarding pass.
“The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration is focused on streamlining and improving the services we provide Arkansans,” said Jim Hudson, department secretary.
“Using mobile ID to board a flight will make travel easier for citizens. We encourage Arkansans who have not obtained their mobile ID to take advantage of this innovative, free tool.”
So far, more than 30,000 people in Arkansas have downloaded the mobile ID.
Which states are using mobile ID?
Mobile ID is available at airports in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Iowa, New Mexico, Maryland, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.
While more states and territories are adopting mobile ID, the programs or applications used to store the IDs aren’t uniform.
For example, California allows passengers to store their digital IDs in the California DMV Wallet App, as well as Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, while New York only allows people to use the Mobile ID app, according to the TSA.
In May, the TSA began requiring passengers to have a REAL ID in order to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities.
Passengers without a REAL ID may still be able to fly but must go through additional security steps, according to the TSA.