In January this year, California governor Gavin Newsom said that the state will roll out digital IDs in a matter of few months. Now, California has launched digital IDs for its citizens that will allow them to have digital driver’s licenses and identification cards stored on their mobile phones. However, there’s a minor caveat. Users will not be able to store their digital IDs in Apple Wallet as of now.
The digital IDs are called mDL (mobile Driver’s License) in California and can be used to get access through airports or to get your age verified while buying age-restricted products. The pilot program will be available to 1.5 million people initially, as per DMV’s website.
California brings its own app instead
While Digital IDs sound convenient and can help save a lot of time, California DMV has its own mobile app for storing them. It means citizens cannot use Apple Wallet or native wallets on Android for storing the IDs.
In 2021, at its World Wide Developer Conference, Apple announced support for digital IDs in the Apple Wallet app. The feature was announced as a push toward a digital future where users would no longer need to carry their wallets. Users in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Georgia can already use their iPhones for storing digital IDs.
Back in January when the California governor teased the support for digital IDs, many assumed that Apple Wallet support would be available from the beginning. However, DMV says, “At this time mDL is not available for Apple or Google wallets. However, additional platforms will be available in the future.”
It is disappointing for many, especially considering the fact that Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Instead of allowing users to store their digital IDs in Apple Wallet or Android wallets, Californian authorities have introduced their own app called CA DMV Wallet for iOS and Android users. The app will allow users to add and manage their digital IDs on their smartphones.
On DMV’s website, it is mentioned that users still need to carry their physical IDs because digital IDs are supported in a few retail stores and airports. Moreover, enforcement, state government agencies, and businesses aren’t yet accepting the mDL as of now.
While adding digital IDs to Apple Wallet is not supported yet, we are hopeful that California will soon bring the support. The digital ID program is still in the pilot stage and we might see the announcement of Apple Wallet and Android wallets support once it is rolled out to everyone.