What is the current status of a mandatory digital ID in the United States

1. Federal policy: coordination, not a single mandatory credential

Congressional and executive activity has aimed at coordinating digital identity capability rather than ordering a nationwide compulsory digital ID. The Improving Digital Identity Act moved through committee and would create an interagency task force to support “reliable, interoperable digital identity verification,” not to impose one mandatory national credential ^[2]. Lawmakers in the House have explicitly tried to prohibit “a single identity credential provided or mandated by the federal government” in some proposals, signaling resistance in Congress to a federally mandated, one‑size‑fits‑all ID ^[3].

2. Agencies testing acceptance; TSA and REAL ID interaction

Federal agencies are grappling with how existing laws (REAL ID) intersect with mobile IDs. The TSA proposed rules to allow federal acceptance of mobile driver’s licenses by temporarily waiving REAL ID technical requirements so agencies could accept mDLs when REAL ID enforcement began in 2025 — a pragmatic step to avoid locking out digital formats rather than a mandate to adopt them ^[1]. The REAL ID Act itself remains the federal baseline for state driver’s licenses for federal purposes; it is not the same as a new federally imposed digital ID ^{[7] [8]}.

3. States: patchwork adoption and optional programs

States are the main locus of implementation. Several states have introduced or authorized digital ID and mDL programs; these are optional and vary by state, leading to a fragmented landscape rather than a consistent national requirement ^{[6] [9]}. Illinois just launched an optional program to add driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet for TSA and select businesses, explicitly keeping the physical ID mandatory for law‑enforcement and other official uses ^[4]. Biometric Update and other reporting note that state laws and pilots are advancing, but interoperability and recognition across states remain unresolved ^{[6] [9]}.

4. Private sector moves — Apple’s Digital ID and vendor momentum

Major technology vendors are building infrastructure that expands digital ID options. Apple announced a Digital ID in Apple Wallet that lets users create and present an ID using U.S. passport information, with initial acceptance rolling out at more than 250 U.S. TSA checkpoints; that product is optional for users and not a federal mandate ^[5]. Industry observers expect private-sector momentum — companies and wallets partnering with states and businesses — to push adoption even without a federal mandate ^[10].

5. Policy debates: privacy, inclusion and the specter of a “national ID”

Advocates highlight benefits—convenience, fraud reduction, and better security—while civil‑liberty groups warn about surveillance, law‑enforcement access to devices, and exclusion of people without smartphones ^{[11] [4]}. Historical sensitivity around a “national ID” persists — critics compare new efforts to the controversies surrounding the 2005 REAL ID Act — and that political memory shapes legislative cautiousness ^[7]. Some federal guidance explicitly instructs that mDL grants should not enable tracking or surveillance, illustrating competing priorities in policy design ^[6].

6. International comparison and potential future paths

Unlike the EU’s centralized eIDAS approach, U.S. progress is state‑driven with federal coordination efforts and industry-led solutions; commentators recommend a national framework that preserves device and platform neutrality while avoiding mandatory single‑vendor solutions ^{[12] [11]}. Analysts project continued growth of digital ID use in 2025 and beyond, but they also note interoperability, equity (device ownership), and privacy rules remain open questions that will determine whether adoption is voluntary or effectively mandatory through reliance on private services ^{[10] [11]}.

7. Bottom line for “mandatory digital ID” status

There is no single, mandatory digital ID imposed by the U.S. federal government in current reporting; instead the country is pursuing a mix of state optional programs, federal task forces and rules to permit acceptance, and private‑sector products that together create a de facto ecosystem without a federal compulsion ^{[2] [1] [4] [5]}. Available sources do not mention a law or executive order that makes possession of a digital ID mandatory nationwide.