California residents will soon have the ability to add their driver’s licenses and identification cards to Apple Wallet, Apple announced Thursday. The feature will allow users to show their ID using just an iPhone or Apple Watch, rather than using a physical card. California driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet are a big step forward for the program, as the Golden State is the most populous in the country, with nearly 40 million residents.

“We’re excited to partner with the State of California to soon bring IDs in Apple Wallet to Apple’s home state, providing residents with a simple, secure and confidential way to present their California driver’s license and identification card in person and in the Apple Wallet app,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

“Whether you use IDs in Apple Wallet to quickly travel the world or to securely verify your age or identity with businesses, California driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet make it easy to present IDs – all with the security built into iPhone and Apple Watch,” she added.

California driver’s licenses and other state IDs coming soon to Apple Wallet

The digital IDs will be usable at select TSA security checkpoints and businesses, as well as in certain apps for age or identity verification, Apple said. This development follows the successful rollout of similar systems in Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia and Ohio. If you live in one of these states, check out Cult of the MacRead ‘s guide to adding your driver’s license or ID to Wallet.

Apple emphasized the security and privacy features built into the system. When adding an ID to Apple Wallet, the government issuing authority receives only the information necessary to approve or deny the request. Users must authorize the sharing of information using Face ID or Touch ID, and only the data necessary for each transaction is displayed.

ID information is encrypted and stored locally

The company assures that the ID data is encrypted and stored exclusively on the user’s device. Neither Apple nor the state issuing authority can track when and where a user presents their digital ID. If the device is lost, users can remotely lock or delete their data using the “Find My?” app.

This rollout is part of the California DMV’s Mobile Driver License (mDL) pilot program. Interested citizens can find more information about the program on the DMV website at dmv.ca.gov/mDL. Or you can read more about IDs in Apple Wallet at learn.wallet.apple/id.

California joins a growing list of states that have already implemented digital identification. This development represents a significant step toward modernizing personal identification systems in the United States.

Source: Apple