The US state of Utah is to launch a pilot programme that will test the use of blockchain technology for the issuance of digital identity cards and other digital credentials that can be stored and used on a holder’s smartphone or other mobile device.

The Utah state government’s newly introduced Government Digital Verifiable Record Amendments bill requires its Division of Technology Services to undertake the pilot scheme and provide recommendations on issuing verifiable digital credentials by government entities that have the same legal status as an equivalent physical document.

These recommendation should cover “policies and procedures to protect the privacy of personal identifying information maintained within distributed ledger programs; the manner and format in which an issuer may certify a document through blockchain; and processes and procedures for the preservation, auditability, integrity, security and confidentiality of digital verifiable credentials and records”, the bill says.

The Division of Technology Services is required to report on the pilot and make its recommendations by the end of October this year.

Utah began letting drivers create a mobile driving licence on their smartphone by scanning their physical document and verifying their identity with a selfie in March.

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