California residents will soon be able to store their driver’s license or state ID in their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet apps, as the state’s government announced Thursday that support for digital IDs is launching in the coming weeks.
Californians with an ID in the Apple Wallet or Google Wallet app will be able to use their mobile devices to present their ID in person at select TSA security checkpoints and businesses. They can also use the app to verify their age or identity in select apps.
Other states that already support digital driver’s licenses and state IDs include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland and Ohio.
To load your ID into the Apple Wallet app, you need to click on the “+” button at the top of the screen in the app then choose “Driver’s License or State ID.” From there, you need to follow the on-screen instructions to start the setup and verification process. You will prompted to take a selfie and then scan the front and back on your driver’s license or state ID card.
To do so in the Google Wallet app, you need to tap the “Add to Wallet” option in the app and then select the “ID card.” Then, you need to select your state and follow the verification steps with your physical ID.
“We’re partnering with two iconic California companies – Apple and Google – to provide convenient, private and secure driver’s licenses and ID cards directly on people’s phones,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement. “This is a big step in our efforts to better serve all Californians, meeting people where they’re at and with technology people use every day,” he added.
The governor’s website noted that more than 500,000 Californians have already added a mobile driver’s license (mDL) to their phone using the California DMV Wallet app. The mDL pilot program has been limited to 1.5 million participants.
According to the Secure Technology Alliance, more than 20 states are currently exploring the idea of adopting mobile digital licenses.
These states include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
