Carrying our IDs digitally on our smartphones is pretty cool, but we can’t do that with every single card yet. But now another state is joining the fold: California.

Governor Gavin Newsom just announced the launch of Google Wallet as a secure and convenient option for storing digital driver’s licenses and IDs, making California one of only four states to offer this feature in Google Wallet, following last week’s announcement of the imminent availability of these digital IDs in Apple Wallet. Over half a million Californians have already added their mDL to their smartphones as part of the state’s mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program, which will launch in 2023.

The mDL provides a convenient alternative to identity verification and gives users more control over their personal information. While it does not replace the physical driver’s license, it can be used in select retail stores and TSA airports, and the DMV is actively working to increase its adoption. The integration of Google Wallet into the mDL further simplifies the daily lives of Android owners in California and provides them with a comprehensive digital wallet experience. The mDL is also expected to play a key role in California’s Digital ID Framework, providing the state with a secure and convenient way to verify identity in the future.

If you want to add your ID to Google Wallet, you should be able to do so already, but if you don’t see the option yet, you may need an app update. much of states still don’t support digital IDs, and the ones that do can be counted by hand. Hopefully that will change soon. In the meantime, though, you’ll need to keep your physical ID in your wallet while your state rolls out.

Source: CAWeb, Google