Digital IDs in Apple Wallet now confirmed for California residents
Apple has confirmed that Californians can soon carry their driver’s licenses and state IDs digitally on their iPhone and Apple Watch.
The new feature, set to be rolled out as part of California’s mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program, marks a significant step in the state’s efforts to embrace digital identification. The move was rumored earlier in August, but the company officially confirmed it on Thursday.
California is not the first state to adopt this technology. Five other states — Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, and Ohio — have already integrated driver’s licenses and state IDs into Apple Wallet. The expansion of the technology across multiple states reflects a growing trend toward digital identification solutions that offer greater convenience without compromising security.
Apple has incorporated several layers of security to protect users’ personal information. When users add their ID to Apple Wallet, the state-issuing authority only receives the information required to approve or deny the request.
Once added, the ID information is encrypted and stored locally on the user’s device, ensuring that it can’t be accessed by Apple or any third party without the user’s explicit consent.
Only the necessary information is shared when presenting an ID through Apple Wallet. Users authorize each transaction using Face ID or Touch ID for added security. Users don’t need to unlock, show, or hand over their devices, protecting their privacy.
As more states follow suit, digital identification may soon become the new standard, although it will take a long time for physical IDs to become a thing of the past.
