Some passengers at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) can now present their state ID to security via their smartphones.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), collaborating with the State of Arizona and Apple, has introduced credentialing technology that allows airline passengers to use their state-issued mobile driver’s license or mobile identification card in Apple Wallet on iPhone or Apple Watch to verify their identity for airport security screening purposes.

With the mobile credentialing system, TSA aims to "enhance airport security, reduce touchpoints, provide greater privacy protections to individuals, and facilitate greater accuracy in identity verification capabilities at TSA checkpoints,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. 

To present their mobile ID, passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck can tap their device at the TSA’s Credential Authentication Technology reader. The TSA security officer will then verify the passenger’s identity and flight status.

Identification data is encrypted and transmitted digitally, eliminating the need for passengers to show or hand over their device to a TSA officer. All passengers, including those traveling through PHX with a driver’s license or state ID, must continue to carry and have readily available their physical driver’s license or identification card, or other acceptable ID listed on the TSA website. This physical ID may be required by the TSA officer to complete ID verification.

PHX is the only airport with mobile driver’s license capability at this time. As other states and device manufacturers adopt this capability, TSA will deploy the technology at airport checkpoints.