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Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

Do police in Colorado universally accept digital IDs during traffic stops?

Tyler Hickman, The Colorado Sun
no

Digital ID technology has not been fully adopted by Colorado law enforcement statewide, despite Gov. Jared Polis’ 2019 executive order authorizing digital IDs as a legal form of identification in the state. 

While Colorado State Patrol has been accepting digital driver’s licenses since Nov. 30, 2020, the agency says not all local police and sheriff departments are accepting them. 

State law requires drivers to have a current license in their immediate possession while driving. Driving without a license in possession is a class B traffic infraction, and drivers without a physical license could receive a citation.

A 2024 bill would have explicitly allowed drivers to use their electronic IDs in place of a physical state-issued license, but the House Committee on Transportation, Housing and Local Government postponed the bill indefinitely before voting.

As of 2024, more than 1.5 million Coloradans are using the state’s mobile ID application.

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