The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has announced that Merriweather Post Pavilion now accepts Mobile Driver’s Licenses (mDL) and Mobile IDs for age verification. This makes the venue one of the first in the country to implement this technology, offering a new option for over 300,000 Marylanders with state mDLs.
Mobile IDs are digital versions of driver’s licenses or ID cards stored on smartphones. They can be used at Merriweather vendor stations to purchase alcoholic beverages. The process involves scanning the customer’s mDL using the Mobile ID Check by MD app, which verifies age while maintaining privacy.
“We’re thrilled to see Merriweather leading the way in bringing this convenience to Maryland residents and all who attend live events at this concert venue,” said MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “Mobile driver’s licenses are ultimately about protecting our customer’s privacy and only sharing the data that’s needed.”
Maryland’s mDL complies with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 18013-5 standards, ensuring businesses cannot track its usage. Customers can choose what data to share, unlike physical IDs.
Samantha Rocco-Canfield, director of JL Hospitality, commented on the benefits: “By utilizing mDL at Merriweather Post Pavilion, we’re taking a step towards innovation in responsible service. We see significant potential for this technology to reduce fraud, prevent counterfeiting, and ultimately streamline transaction times.”
Maryland Mobile ID is free and available through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet for those with valid Maryland identification. It is also accepted at select TSA checkpoints nationwide including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Additionally, it is used at participating BWI restaurants and Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services retail stores.
For more information on how to enroll in Maryland Mobile ID, visit here.
Information from this article can be found here.
