California's government announced Thursday that residents can now store their driver's licenses and state-issued IDs in the Apple Wallet app, after the state only began issuing digital IDs through Google Wallet last month.
Californians who have their ID registered with the Apple Wallet or Google Wallet app can use their mobile device to present their ID in person at certain TSA security checkpoints and businesses, and can also use the app to verify their age and identity in certain apps.
Other states that already support digital driver's licenses and state IDs include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland and Ohio.
How to add ID to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet
To load your ID into the Apple Wallet app, click the “+” button at the top of the app's screen and select “Driver's License or State ID.” From there, you'll need to follow the on-screen prompts to begin the setup and verification process. You'll be asked to take a selfie and scan the front and back of your driver's license or state ID card.
To do this in the Google Wallet app, you need to tap on the “Add to Wallet” option within the app and select “ID Card,” then you need to select your state and follow the verification steps using your actual ID.
“We're partnering with two of California's most iconic companies, Apple and Google, to provide convenient, private and secure driver's licenses and identification directly to people's phones,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement announcing the program earlier this year. “This is a major step in our efforts to better serve all Californians by meeting people wherever they are with the technology they use every day,” he added.
According to the Governor's website, over 500,000 Californians have already added their mobile driver's license (mDL) to their phones using the California DMV Wallet app. The mDL pilot program is limited to 1.5 million participants.
More than 20 states are currently considering implementing mobile digital licenses, according to the Secure Technology Alliance.
These states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.
This article has been updated to reflect that Californians can now add digital IDs to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.