Apple has announced plans to turn your iPhone into your driver's license back in 2021. Plane tickets, movie tickets and credit cards were already digital. Now it's time to digitize your government-issued ID.
So far, very few US states actually allow you to add your driver's license or state ID to Apple Wallet. However, there are other states without Wallet support where your iPhone can still become your driver's license.
Table of Contents
- Apple Wallet IDs
- Airport Wallet IDs
- Digital ID Apps
- When will my state get a digital driver's license?
Apple Wallet IDs
What's the benefit of having your driver's license or state ID in Apple Wallet? For now, it's very similar to using Apple Pay to pay for purchases in a store.
Instead of showing your physical driver's license or state ID at TSA checkpoints at airports, simply tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to an NFC reader to verify your identity. Boarding passes have long gone digital, and driver's licenses are catching up with this trend.
However, there doesn't seem to be a race to complete or even begin the transition to digital IDs just yet. Currently, three states and four airports support IDs in Wallet.
According to Apple, you can add your ID to Wallet on iPhone in the following states:
- Arizona li>
- Colorado
- Maryland
- Georgia
In 2021, Apple said Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Utah are also committed to supporting this feature. For now, it's easy to find news coverage of states that commit to supporting digital IDs in 2021 but don't have a solution in 2024.
Airport Wallet ID
According to Apple, after you add your ID to Wallet, you can wave your iPhone to verify your identity at select TSA checkpoints at the following airports:
- Baltimore/Washington International Airport Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Denver International Airport ( DEN)
While only four states currently support IDs in Wallet, there are many more states and territories that are at various levels of support exploration. In addition to TSA support, IDs in Wallet can be accepted by banking institutions, businesses, and other industries.
While national support for IDs in Wallet may take years, more states are officially offering digital IDs on iPhones without Wallet support. States that have Mobile ID apps installed on iPhone include:
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- Florida
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Virginia
These states have mobile apps that allow you to use your digital ID with contactless terminals. The setup process may require registering your phone number, scanning the front and back of your physical ID, and verifying with a selfie. Users can then “certify” their digital ID for use for TSA, age verification, and more.
Digital IDs aren't just more convenient. If supported, a user can verify their age for age-restricted purchases such as alcohol without revealing personal information such as date of birth or home address.
Pilot digital ID airports
Although only four airports accept ID cards in Wallet, there are many more pilot field assessment airports that accept Digital ID applications . TSA lists these locations, although TSA Pre-Check is required:
- Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI)
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Des Moyne International Airport (DSM)
- Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
- Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
- Gulfport Biloxi International Airport (GPT)
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Honolulu International Airport Daniel K. Inouye (HNL)
- Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- International John Glenn Columbus Airport (CMH)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Nashville International Airport (BNA) – Starts August 3.
- San Jose Norman Mineta International Airport (SJC)
- Phoenix Sky International Airport -Harbor (PHX)
- Richmond International Airport (RIC)
- Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC )
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
- Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
When will my state get digital driver's licenses?
Unless you live in one of the few states that supports digital IDs, you're probably wondering when your state will make the list. Legislators in each state and territory must propose and pass their own laws to allow digital driving licences. This process is likely the biggest bottleneck.
When it becomes legal, government officials must agree on how best to implement digital IDs. Companies like IDEMIA make this process easier, but each state handles issues like support and security separately.
Best Comment by Shafnitz
The last time I flew out of PHX, I really wanted to use my iPhone to get through security. I have TSA PreCheck and when I walked up to the agent desk with my phone in hand, I asked her how to use my digital ID. She said, “I need your physical ID.” I replied, “I thought we could use Apple Wallet at this airport?” And she said, “Sometimes. But not today”. 🤷♂️
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Several states have already legalized digital driver's licenses and state ID cards, but there is no solution yet. The laws were passed as recently as 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Some states are testing small pilot programs before officially launching support. Most states that offer digital ID support do not charge an access fee, but some states charge a one-time fee of $10 or an annual fee of $2.
Have a driver's license in Apple Wallet on your iPhone without downloading anything from the App Store is the ideal scenario. If you're wondering when your state will take the step forward, it's helpful to review the digital ID laws in your state, as well as recent news about implementation progress. This data will give you better information to manage your expectations.
Is there any data missing? Have you already added your ID to Wallet or already used your digital ID in the real world? Let us know in the comments.