Apple, Google Wallets to Support California Driver’s Licenses Soon

The California government announced on Thursday that digital ID support will be available in the Apple Wallet and Google Wallet applications

This will allow residents to store their driver’s license or state ID.

Californians with ID stored in the Apple Wallet or Google Wallet app can present their ID in person at specific TSA security checkpoints and businesses using their mobile devices. Additionally, they may utilize the application to authenticate their identity or age in specific applications.

Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, and Ohio are among the states that currently endorse digital driver’s licenses and state IDs.

To add your ID to the Apple Wallet app, select “Driver’s License or State ID” by clicking the “+” icon at the top of the screen. Afterward, you must adhere to the on-screen instructions to initiate the setup and verification process. You will be instructed to take a photograph and subsequently scan the front and back of your driver’s license or state ID card.

Tap the “Add to Wallet” option in the Google Wallet app and select the “ID card” to accomplish this. Next, you must choose your state and proceed with the verification process using your physical identification.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the state is collaborating with two emblematic California companies, Apple and Google, to offer user-friendly, private, and secure driver’s licenses and ID cards directly on their smartphones. “This is a significant advancement in our endeavors to provide more comprehensive services to all Californians, as it addresses the technology that individuals use daily and meets them where they are.”

The California DMV Wallet app has been utilized by over 500,000 Californians to add a mobile driver’s license (mDL) to their phones, according to the governor’s website. The mDL pilot program has been restricted to 1.5 million participants.

Currently, over 20 states are investigating the possibility of implementing mobile digital licenses, as per the Secure Technology Alliance.

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 comprise these states.