Digital driver's licenses hit iPhones as California expands program

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California residents can now add their driver's licenses and state identification cards to Apple Wallet, marking an expansion of the state's digital ID pilot program that launched last year.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced the integration with Apple's mobile wallet platform, allowing residents to store and display their official identification through their iPhone or Apple Watch.

"With this new integration, we're working to better serve the people of California in the 21st century," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. 

The program builds upon California's existing mobile driver's license initiative, which previously required users to download a separate state-issued application. The DMV reports more than 500,000 Californians have already adopted digital licenses through the original program.

"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," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

Eligible residents can add their ID to Apple Wallet by selecting "Driver's License or State ID" within the application and following verification steps. The DMV verifies all submissions before approval.

The DMV emphasizes that users must continue carrying physical licenses, as law enforcement agencies and most businesses do not yet accept digital versions. The Transportation Security Administration accepts digital IDs at two locations only - Terminal 7 at Los Angeles International Airport and Terminal 3 at San Francisco International Airport. Six retail locations statewide, primarily in Sacramento, allow age verification through digital licenses.

State officials say digital licenses offer enhanced privacy features compared to physical cards. When verifying age at participating locations, the system can confirm that a person is over 21-years-old without revealing their birth date or address.

The California DMV website states digital licenses use encryption to protect personal information. The data remains stored on the user's device rather than in a central database.

"When adding an ID to Apple Wallet, the state-issuing authority receives only the information it needs to approve or deny the request," Apple said in a statement. "Once an ID is added to Apple Wallet, the information is encrypted on a user's device, so others — including Apple — cannot access it unless a user chooses to present it."

The expansion follows California's recent integration with Google Wallet, which provides Android users with similar functionality. The pilot program currently allows up to 1.5 million participants.

California joins approximately 12 other states offering some form of digital identification. According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, most remaining states are developing or evaluating similar programs.

Privacy advocates note the technology's relative newness. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called for continued evaluation of security standards and raised concerns about potential data collection by retailers.

Residents can visit the California DMV website for more information about enrollment eligibility and participating locations.