California is the latest state to make driver’s licenses mobile. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office today both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will add support for California driver’s licenses and state ID cards. The release clarified that residents will still need to carry a physical copy of their ID, but the mobile option will make age verification faster during air travel and at participating establishments.
“We’re partnering with two iconic California companies, Apple and Google, to provide convenient, personal and secure driver’s licenses and ID cards on people’s phones,” Newsom said. “This is a big step in our efforts to better serve all Californians, to meet people where they are and to learn about the technology people use every day.”
Adding licenses to these tech companies’ wallet programs is part of a larger program by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The Mobile Driver’s License (mDL) pilot introduced a state agency-specific wallet app that gives California residents the same ability to download their driver’s license to their smartphone. More than 500,000 residents in the mDL program have done so to date.
Became the first state to bring driver’s licenses to Apple Wallet in 2022, though both iOS and Android technology years ago. , and they also adopted support for mobile authentication. And any news about identification is a good reminder It is scheduled to go into effect in 2025, requiring more documents to board a plane or enter some government facilities.
