A digital version of a physical driving licence stored on a mobile device, standardised under ISO 18013-5, and one of the flagship use cases for the European Digital Identity Wallet.
A Mobile Driving Licence (mDL) is a digital representation of a traditional physical driving licence, stored on a mobile device and presented electronically for verification. Standardised under ISO 18013-5, the mDL was one of the earliest and most prominent use cases for verifiable mobile credentials and has directly influenced the design of the European Digital Identity Wallet. The mDL standard defines the data model, security mechanisms, and presentation protocols for a driving licence credential on a mobile device.
It supports both online (remote) and offline (proximity-based, using NFC or Bluetooth) verification scenarios, and includes built-in selective disclosure, allowing the holder to present only the relevant data elements (e.g., proving they hold a category B licence without revealing their address).
Under eIDAS 2.0, the mDL is one of the key credentials expected to be available in the EUDIW. Several Large-Scale Pilots are testing mDL issuance and verification as part of their wallet implementations.
The mdoc credential format used in the EUDIW architecture is directly derived from the ISO 18013-5 standard, making the mDL a natural fit. For users, an mDL in their wallet means they can prove their driving qualifications digitally, at traffic stops, car rental desks, or insurance applications, without carrying a physical card. For businesses in the automotive, insurance, and mobility sectors, the mDL represents a significant opportunity to streamline customer onboarding and compliance checks.
Understanding the mDL is also technically important because the mdoc format it pioneered is now a general-purpose credential format in the EUDIW ecosystem, used for many types of credentials beyond driving licences.
Related Terms
mdoc (ISO 18013-5)
A CBOR-based credential format originally developed for mobile driving licences and adopted as a core credential format for the EUDIW, supporting offline verification and selective disclosure.
Technical StandardsEuropean Digital Identity Wallet (EUDIW)
A mobile application that every EU Member State must provide to citizens and residents, enabling them to store and present digital identity credentials and attestations across borders.
Digital IdentitySelective Disclosure
A privacy-enhancing capability that allows a credential holder to present only specific attributes from a credential rather than the entire dataset.
Digital IdentityArchitecture Reference Framework (ARF)
The technical specification document that defines the architecture, protocols, credential formats, and security requirements for the European Digital Identity Wallet ecosystem.
Technical Standards