The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at San Diego International Airport (SAN) is now accepting California mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) for identity verification purposes. Travelers with a California-issued photo identification can add their mDL or state ID to their digital wallet on their mobile device and use it at any of the airport’s TSA security checkpoints.
Facial verification
TSA at SAN and other California airports is now using the latest generation of credential authentication technology (CAT-2) during the travel document checking process. CAT-2 units are equipped with digital readers and a camera that takes a real-time photo of the traveler. Using facial matching technology, CAT-2 is able to compare the traveler’s photo from the mDL against the in-person, real-time photo. Through a secure internet connection, CAT-2 is also able to verify that the traveler is ticketed for travel that day. It also indicates the type of screening status (such as TSA PreCheck) that the traveler is eligible for, negating the need for the traveler to present a boarding pass.
TSA will continue to accept a traveler’s physical credential if they do not have or do not want to use the mDL, and advises that it is a good idea for all travelers to carry their physical credential as a backup option.
California is one of 15 states that offer mDLs that work with CAT-2 units. The other states offering mDLs are Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Any traveler with an mDL from these states can use it at TSA SAN security checkpoints.
Read more about TSA’s CAT-2 rollout here.