Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 19 announced that California will begin offering residents the option to securely add their California driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch. Californians will be able to use this new feature in person at select businesses and Transportation Security Administration or TSA security checkpoints, including at San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport
This announcement is part of California’s mobile driver’s license or mDL pilot program, which is limited to 1.5 million participants. Last month, Gov. Newsom announced Californians can add their mobile driver’s license to Google Wallet.
Adding a California driver’s license or state ID in Apple Wallet
Adding a license or ID to the Apple Wallet can be done in a few easy steps. Californians can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the on-screen instructions to start the setup and verification process.
To help ensure that the person adding the identity card to Apple Wallet is the same person to whom the identity card belongs, the user will be asked to take a selfie and scan the front and back of their driver’s license or state ID card, which will be securely provided to the DMV for verification.
A secure and private way to present your California ID
Once added, Californians can present their driver’s license or state ID by simply holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader. Upon holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader, only the information needed for the transaction is presented, and users will have the opportunity to review and authorize the information being requested before it is shared. Users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their ID.
A user’s information is encrypted on a user’s device, so others – including Apple – cannot access it unless a user chooses to present it. Apple does not retain any presentment information that can be tied back to a user. Apple and the DMV do not know when or to whom you present your driver’s license or state ID.
Offering a California ID or mDL in Apple Wallet does not replace the requirement for individuals to carry a physical card while driving. But it does provide Californians another convenient option for identity verification and more control over how they share their information.
This new capability is part of the DMV’s broader mDL pilot, launched in August 2023 as part of the statewide Digital Identity Framework that allows the state to securely and conveniently verify people’s identity. To date, more than 625,000 Californians have added an mDL in the DMV Wallet.
More information about California IDs in Apple Wallet as well as other California-issued mDLs can be found at dmv.ca.gov/mDL.