Moving Towards Credentialing Interoperability: Case Studies at the State, Local, and Regional Levels

Credentialing is a system by which identification cards or other tokens are used to authenticate a person and transmit skills, qualifications, and other attributes associated with that identity. Interoperability, in the credentialing context, provides the capability for a jurisdiction to access information and trust its legitimacy in order to make decisions about granting access and privileges.

This document also examines the experiences of several non-federal agencies that have implemented interoperable credentials that leverage the federal credentialing system. Through a series of case studies, it provides practical solutions, best practices, and lessons learned to assist decision makers in developing credentialing systems in their own jurisdictions. This document serves as an introduction to electronic identity/attribute management and credentialing for those whose purview is emergency management.