BGSU becomes first university in U.S. to accept mobile driver’s licenses for age verification

Users with a mobile driver’s license, including IDs in Apple Wallet, will be able to seamlessly and securely present it for in-person age verification at BGSU’s athletic events

Bowling Green State University this week is the first university in the United States to accept mobile driver’s licenses for age verification. Concessionaires across BGSU's athletic events will be able to securely and privately accept customers’ mobile driver’s licenses, including IDs in Apple Wallet, in person at its athletics events.

Ohio driver’s licenses and state IDs are available for Ohioans to add to Apple Wallet, which the state of Ohio adopted earlier this year. This has allowed Ohio residents to add their state-issued identification card or driver’s license directly to Apple Wallet for use in various locations – which now includes inside BGSU Athletics venues. Ohio driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet offer a convenient and secure companion to the physical plastic card but does not replace an individual’s physical card.

“It’s great to see Bowling Green State University become a nationwide trailblazer for adopting the Ohio Mobile ID, providing convenience to spectators and Falcon fans attending BGSU athletic events,” Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted said. "At InnovateOhio, our goal is to make Ohio the most innovative, entrepreneurial state in the Midwest, and the Ohio Mobile ID is one of the latest efforts aimed at better serving our customers – the people of Ohio – through technology.”

Users can present a compliant mobile driver’s license to a Tap2iD reader using NFC technology from Credence to privately and securely verify their age when making a purchase.

When a user presents their mobile driver’s license to a BGSU concession, the concessionaire will only be provided the required information necessary for age verification, such as age and ID photo.

How to present an ID in Apple Wallet
To present an ID in Apple Wallet, residents can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader. Residents’ devices will then display what information is being requested, and only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested information released from a device. Since the information is shared digitally, residents do not need to hand over their iPhone or Apple Watch to present an ID in Apple Wallet.

A cutting-edge campus
The implementation is part of the University’s continued effort to adopt cutting-edge technology on its campuses.  

In 2020, BGSU was the first university in Ohio to implement Starship Technology, which allows users to have food delivered using 100% electric robots. The University deployed an autonomous floor-scrubbing robot in 2023 to increase cleanliness and campus health while enhancing employee experiences.

This year, BGSU was among the first universities in the country to introduce Amazon Just Walk Out technology, which allows shoppers to check out at a campus market without waiting in any lines.

"Bowling Green State University has long embraced the latest in technology to streamline the student experience, as well as the experience of supporters and community members visiting our campus,” BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. “As a public university for the public good, Bowling Green is pleased to be part of the innovation taking place across Ohio. We are grateful to InnovateOhio and Lt. Governor Husted for supporting the implementation of Ohio Mobile ID at BGSU, which provides a safe, more convenient experience for our students and guests."

BGSU Athletics already uses the All-In-1 Pass for sporting events, which allows season-ticket holders, students and mini-plan holders to add all of their seat tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet – without having to download new tickets every week.

"BGSU Athletics is continuously looking for innovative ways to implement new technologies that enhance our fan experience,” BGSU Director of Athletics Derek van der Merwe said. “Throughout the past two years, we have been directly engaging with our fans through consumer surveys to focus our efforts on elevating the game day experience. We are excited to introduce this cutting-edge technology, which aligns with the feedback we have received in finding new ways to reduce wait times and get our fans back to the game."

Students and visitors from other states who support mobile driver’s licenses including Arizona, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado, Hawaii, California, Iowa, New York and Utah, will also be able to present their mobile driver’s licenses at BGSU events.

Ohio driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet
In addition to BGSU's athletic events, Ohio driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet can today be used in-person at select airport TSA check lanes, including Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and John Glenn Columbus International Airport, and businesses with compliant mobile ID readers, or in select apps that require identity or age verification.

To add an Ohio driver's license or state ID to Apple Wallet, residents can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Apple Wallet on their iPhone, select "driver's license or state ID," and follow the on-screen instructions to start the set-up and verification process.

For more information on the Ohio Mobile ID, FAQS and demonstration videos, visit the OhioBMV website.