iOS15: Apple to begin rollout of driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet

Apple has announced the first states signed up to adopt driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet.
Apple has announced the first states signed up to adopt driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet.

Apple has announced that it will work with several US states to enable residents in the region to add their driver’s license or state ID to Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch. According to Apple, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah are among the first states to bring state IDs and driver’s licenses in Wallet to their residents. Arizona and Georgia will be the first states to introduce this iOS advancement, with Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah to follow. Additionally, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) enables select airport security checkpoints and lanes in participating airports as the first locations where customers can use their driver’s license or state ID in Wallet.

“The addition of driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet is an important step in our vision of replacing the physical wallet with a secure and easy-to-use mobile wallet,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “We are excited that the TSA and so many states are already on board to help bring this to life for travelers across the country using only their iPhone and Apple Watch, and we are already in discussions with many more states as we’re working to offer this nationwide in the future.”

Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah are among the first states to bring state IDs and driver’s licenses in Wallet to their residents.

“This new and innovative mobile driver’s license and state ID initiative with Apple and states around the country will enable a more seamless airport security screening experience for travelers,” said David Pekoske, TSA Administrator. “This initiative marks a major milestone by TSA to provide an additional level of convenience for the traveler by enabling more opportunities for touchless TSA airport security screening.”

Security and Privacy

Apple has released some key points of information regarding the security of these new features:

  • Apple and the issuing states will not know when or where a user will present their ID. 
  • As opposed to the physical copies, Driver’s Licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet will have the additional security protection accompanying iPhones and Apple Watches. 
  • Biometric authentication (Face ID and Touch ID) will ensure that the person who added the ID can present by the person who added the ID.
  • The customer’s identity data is encrypted.
  • Driver’s licenses and state IDs in Wallet are only presented digitally through encrypted communication between the device and the identity reader, so users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device.
  • If an iPhone or Apple Watch is lost, the user can lock the devices and erase the information via Find My App.

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“Georgia is a national leader when it comes to the safety and security of its driver and identity credentialing process, with more than 99 percent of Georgians REAL ID compliant, and the state of Georgia is equally as committed to safety and security through our mobile driver’s licensing (mDL) efforts with Apple,” said Spencer R. Moore, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Driver Services. 

“Together, we will deliver customer convenience through touchless identity verification and enhanced security and privacy protection through technology. We are honored to work with Apple as an initial adopter for such a revolutionary customer experience. A state-issued credential has become the standard for which institutions of all sectors use as a trusted source of identity proofing. The identity proofing bar has been raised significantly thanks to Apple and innovative states like Georgia.”

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Amber Donovan-Stevens

Amber is a Content Editor at Top Business Tech

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