Bill > S0371

This bill allows the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue digital driver's licenses and identification cards, referred to as mobile driver's licenses, which will be stored on a mobile electronic device. These digital credentials, if they meet standards set by organizations like the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), will be considered legally equivalent to physical licenses for all authorized purposes. However, the acceptance of these digital versions is at the discretion of the entity to whom they are presented, meaning businesses or individuals are not required to accept them over a physical card. The bill also clarifies that if a digital license cannot be immediately verified by law enforcement, the driver must still comply with existing laws regarding displaying a physical license, and individuals are not compelled to hand over their mobile device for inspection, with searches of the device being subject to warrant requirements or explicit consent.