Governor Gavin Newsome | Facebook Website
Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that California will offer residents the option to securely add their California driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch. This feature can be used in person at select businesses and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints, including at San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
"Californians now have the option of adding their driver’s license or state ID to their iPhone or Apple Watch in Apple Wallet," said Governor Newsom. "With this new integration, we’re working to better serve the people of California in the 21st Century."
This announcement is part of California’s mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program, which is limited to 1.5 million participants. Last month, Governor Newsom announced that Californians could add their mobile driver’s license to Google Wallet.
“Enabling California residents to seamlessly add and present their IDs with their iPhone or Apple Watch represents a significant step in replacing the physical wallet with a more secure and private digital wallet,” stated Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “The launch also represents an important milestone in the rollout of IDs in Apple Wallet. Not only is California one of the largest states in the U.S., but it’s also our own backyard, and we’re excited to bring an easy and transparent way to present IDs in our home state.”
Steve Gordon, DMV Director, added: “We are happy to be working with Apple to bring California driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet to our customers, providing them with an easy, secure and private way to present their ID using their iPhone or Apple Watch. The DMV continues to grow as a mobile-first organization, and this is one more opportunity to provide a safe and secure option for Californians.”
“I am pleased to see the continued momentum of the mDL pilot project,” commented State Chief Information Officer and Department of Technology Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins. “California continues to lead the nation in testing and leveraging technology to connect State services to residents’ mobile phones making it easier for Californians to safely access information like their identification and other state credentials.”
To add a California driver’s license or state ID in Apple Wallet, users can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow on-screen instructions for setup and verification. Users will need to take a selfie and scan both sides of their identity card for DMV verification.
Once added, Californians can present their driver’s license or state ID by holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader. Only necessary information for transactions will be presented after user review and authorization.
User information is encrypted on devices; neither others nor Apple can access it unless users choose otherwise. Neither Apple nor DMV retains any presentation data linked back to users.
Offering a digital ID does not replace carrying a physical card while driving but provides another convenient option for identity verification.
This capability aligns with DMV's broader mDL pilot launched in August 2023 under the statewide Digital Identity Framework aimed at securely verifying identities. Over 625,000 Californians have added an mDL via DMV Wallet so far.
Further details about California IDs in Apple Wallet are available at dmv.ca.gov/mDL.
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