Why Digital Identity Standards Matter
ISO 18013-5, ISO 18013-7, and OpenID4VCI are the technical standards that make mobile IDs interoperable, secure, and privacy-preserving. Here’s why they matter for every organization that verifies identity.
Why Shared Standards Are Essential
Digital identity is only useful if it works everywhere. A mobile driver’s license issued by California should be verifiable in New York, at an airport in Texas, or by a federal agency in Washington, D.C. This kind of universal interoperability does not happen by accident. It requires shared technical standards that every participant in the ecosystem agrees to follow.
Without standards, every state would implement mobile IDs differently, every wallet would store credentials in proprietary formats, and every verifier would need custom integrations for each issuer. Standards eliminate this fragmentation by defining a common language for how credentials are structured, transmitted, and verified.
Think of It Like USB
Before USB, every device had its own proprietary connector. USB created a universal standard that made any device work with any computer. Digital identity standards do the same thing: they let any compliant mobile ID work with any compliant verifier, regardless of who issued the credential or which wallet stores it.
What Standards Enable
Digital identity standards provide four foundational guarantees that make the entire ecosystem viable.
Interoperability
A credential issued by any compliant authority can be verified by any compliant reader. No custom integrations required.
Security
Cryptographic protocols ensure credentials cannot be forged, cloned, or tampered with. Every verification is mathematically proven.
Privacy
Selective disclosure is built into the standard. Holders share only the specific data elements requested, nothing more.
Trust
IACA certificate chains create a verifiable chain of trust from the credential back to the issuing government authority.
Key Standards Powering Mobile IDs
Three core standards define how mobile credentials are issued, presented, and verified across the ecosystem.
In-Person Mobile ID Verification
ISO/IEC 18013-5 is the foundational standard for mobile driver’s licenses. Published by the International Organization for Standardization, it defines how a mobile device presents identity credentials to a verifier in a face-to-face interaction. This is the standard that makes it possible to tap your phone on a reader at a bar, stadium, or government counter to verify your identity.
Key Technical Elements
ISO 18013-5 is the most widely adopted mDL standard, supported by Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, and state mobile ID apps across the United States.
Online & Remote Mobile ID Presentation
While ISO 18013-5 covers face-to-face scenarios, ISO/IEC TS 18013-7 extends the framework to online and remote contexts. This standard defines how a mobile ID can be presented over the internet, enabling use cases like online age verification, remote identity proofing for financial services, and digital onboarding workflows.
How It Differs From 18013-5
ISO 18013-7 is a Technical Specification (TS), reflecting its emerging status. It is being actively developed and piloted, with growing adoption expected as online identity verification demand increases.
Standards-Based Credential Issuance
OpenID for Verifiable Credential Issuance (OpenID4VCI) is an open standard from the OpenID Foundation that defines how credentials are issued from an authority to a digital wallet. While ISO 18013-5 and 18013-7 handle the presentation and verification side, OpenID4VCI addresses the other half of the lifecycle: getting credentials into wallets in the first place.
Core Capabilities
OpenID4VCI builds on the widely-deployed OAuth 2.0 protocol, making it familiar to developers and straightforward to implement alongside existing identity infrastructure.
How Standards Enable the Verification Flow
Standards define each step of the mobile ID verification process, from initial device engagement through cryptographic validation.
Device Engagement
The standard defines how a verifier and a mobile device establish a secure connection. In person, this happens through NFC tap or QR scan (18013-5). Online, it uses browser-to-wallet communication protocols (18013-7). Both methods ensure the connection is authenticated and encrypted.
Selective Disclosure
The verifier sends a request specifying which data elements are needed (e.g., over-21 status, name, photo). The holder reviews and approves the request on their device. Only approved elements are transmitted, preserving privacy by design.
Cryptographic Validation
The verifier checks the credential's Mobile Security Object (MSO) against the issuing authority's IACA certificate. This mathematical validation confirms the data is authentic, unaltered, and issued by a trusted government authority, all without contacting the issuer.
Read the Standards
For technical teams looking to dive deeper, here are the official standard documents and specifications.
Personal identification - ISO-compliant driving licence - Part 5: Mobile driving licence (mDL) application
View SpecificationISO/IEC TS 18013-7Personal identification - ISO-compliant driving licence - Part 7: Mobile driving licence (mDL) add-on functions
View SpecificationOpenID4VCIOpenID for Verifiable Credential Issuance - OpenID Foundation specification
View SpecificationWhy This Matters for Your Organization
Choosing standards-based verification is a strategic decision that affects your organization’s long-term flexibility and readiness.
Interoperability Across States
Standards-based readers accept mobile IDs from any compliant state. As more states launch mDL programs, your verification infrastructure works with all of them without custom integrations.
Regulatory Readiness
Government procurement and compliance frameworks increasingly reference ISO 18013-5. Building on recognized standards positions your organization for regulatory alignment as digital ID mandates expand.
Vendor Independence
Standards prevent vendor lock-in. Your mobile ID verification does not depend on any single wallet platform, device manufacturer, or credential provider. Switch components without rewriting your system.
Continue Exploring
What Are Mobile IDs, Digital IDs, and Verifiable Credentials?
New to digital identity? Start here for a comprehensive introduction to mobile IDs, mDLs, and verifiable credentials.
Issuing State TrackermDL Issuing-State Tracker
See these standards in action. Track which states have launched mDLs and which wallet platforms they support.
Build on Standards-Based Verification
Credence ID’s verification platform is built on ISO 18013-5 and designed for interoperability across every major wallet and state mDL program. Future-proof your identity verification infrastructure.
Talk to Credence
