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         California Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet Largely Symbolic

   Adam Engst

   [1]Apple writes:

     Californians will soon be able to add their driver's licenses and
     state IDs to Apple Wallet, providing a seamless and secure way to
     present driver's licenses or state IDs using just an iPhone or Apple
     Watch.

   Although Apple makes this launch sound impressive, it's largely
   symbolic since you must continue to carry your driver's license or
   state ID card. It's part of [2]California's mobile driver's license
   (mDL) pilot program, and reading more closely reveals that digital ID
   support is limited to unspecified businesses and TSA PreCheck at [3]27
   participating airports around the US. California says, 'Law
   enforcement, state government agencies, and businesses aren't yet
   accepting the mDL.' The state also provides its own CA DMV Wallet app
   for [4]iOS and [5]Android.

   California joins five other states in supporting [6]digital IDs in
   Apple Wallet, including Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, and Ohio.
   My home state of New York could appear on that list soon, too, since it
   just announced [7]its own Mobile ID (MiD) program, with apps for [8]iOS
   and [9]Android. None of these digital IDs eliminate the need to carry a
   physical ID card either. Sadly, it seems as though it will takeyears
   before digital and physical IDs can be used interchangeably.

   [10]Read original article

References

   1. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/08/drivers-licenses-and-state-ids-in-apple-wallet-are-coming-soon-to-california/
   2. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/ca-dmv-wallet/
   3. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/digital-id/map
   4. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ca-dmv-wallet/id6449002508
   5. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.ca.dmv.wallet
   6. https://learn.wallet.apple/id
   7. https://dmv.ny.gov/id-card/mobile-id-mid-for-license-permit-and-id-holders
   8. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/new-york-mobile-id/id1506757023
   9. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idemia.mobileid.us.ny&hl=en_US
  10. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/08/drivers-licenses-and-state-ids-in-apple-wallet-are-coming-soon-to-california/

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