Apple added the capability to add digital state IDs or driver’s licenses to Apple Wallet years ago, with the very first supporting states announced back in 2021.
There are currently ten states/territories in the U.S. that support this capability, with another 8 having announced support in the future. There’s also news that the feature may soon come to the U.K.
Here’s how you add your Driver’s License and state ID to the Apple Wallet app on your iPhone and Apple Watch, and why you might want to.
It’s a standards-based approach (ISO 18013-5) that is meant to be more secure and private than physical identification, as well as finally closing one of the last loopholes that make people unable to leave the house without their wallet.
Update January 13, 2025: Illinois has announced its intent to bring state IDs to Apple Wallet “by the end of the year.”
How to add your driver’s license of ID to Apple Wallet
Adding your driver’s license or ID to Apple Wallet is simple, just follow these steps:
- Open Wallet
- Tap the “Add” (+) button in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Driver’s License or State ID and select your state.
- Now follow the on-screen instructions: First you’ll be asked if you want to add your ID to just your iPhone or your Apple Watch as well if you have a paired Apple Watch.
- Next you will be asked to take photos of your current ID, likely the front and back.
- You will then need to take some matching images of yourself. The phone will direct you to be in a well-lit area with a plain dark background and put your head in the frame. Then you’ll turn your head or make facial expressions (closing your eyes, opening your mouth) as directed by your phone. This information will be used to help match your appearance with your photo on record with the state. Think of it like a human making sure you look like the photo on your ID.
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Which states support Apple Wallet driver’s license and ID
The states that currently support digital IDs in Apple Wallet are:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Maryland
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Puerto Rico
The states and territories that have promised future support are:
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
When will the U.K. support Apple Wallet driving licences?
The U.K. government has announced plans to launch a GOV.UK Wallet and App in which licenced drivers will be able to store a digital copy of their driver’s licence.
The new app is coming this summer and the ability to store digital drivers licences, later in 2025. The digital driver’s licence will be piloted later in 2025, with plans to offer a digital alternative, alongside paper or card credentials, by the end of 2027. More here: U.K. iPhone users will soon be able to store digital licenses and IDs.
Why add ID and driver’s license to Apple Wallet?
Your ID in Apple Wallet is more secure than carrying around a physical card that could be lost or could reveal personal information to someone you may not wish to have it.
Digital IDs in Apple Wallet do not display any personal information other than your name. If you tap the (i) button to get more info, and then tap Driver’s License Info, your iPhone requires a Face ID or Touch ID login to see things like your address, date of birth, height, eye color, ID number, and so on.
Information is ONLY ever transferred via NFC (which begins a secure Bluetooth LE data connection), not via barcode or anything else that can be easily copied. So, you never have to hand your phone over to a police officer, TSA agent, or anyone else, and even if you do, they can’t get your personal info without your authentication.
Using your digital ID works a lot like Apple Pay. You hold your iPhone near the reader (which may be another iPhone), and a screen will pop up saying exactly which information you’re going to share. Double-tap the side button to approve it, just like approving a payment.
Currently, police agencies do not accept digital IDs as driver’s licenses, so you’ll have to carry your physical card with you when you drive. But the TSA has implemented readers at checkpoints in some airports (see a map here), and some age-restricted venues have implemented readers, too. What’s more, apps that require age identification (like renting a car or ordering alcohol) can use the info stored in Wallet to provide proof of age.
What’s nice about digital IDs is that they can transfer only the information needed, and nothing more. A bouncer who wants to check ID at the entrance to a venue would have a reader that shows your ID photo and simply confirms if you’re over 21, for example—they wouldn’t get your actual date of birth, ID number, address, or any other info they don’t need. The same goes for apps that need age verification. With the Apple Wallet implementation, nothing is transferred without your authentication, so not only do you not have to hand your phone over to anyone else, it wouldn’t even help to do so.
Why won’t Apple Wallet let me add my driving license?
If you are in the U.S. it may be that your state doesn’t yet support the feature.
If your State is in the list above and you can’t add your license it may be because of an Apple Server outage (check that here). If that’s not the issue then Apple recommends contacting your “issuing authority”.
If you are outside the U.S. it’s bad news. The ability to add ID and driving licenses is likely unavailable where you are. It’s not for Apple to implement the feature, but rather a decision on a country level. The U.K. government has announced plans for a digital version of the Driving Licence and other countries are likely to do the same.
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