California residents will soon be able to add their driver’s licenses and national identification cards to Apple Wallet, allowing them to seamlessly and securely present their driver’s license or national identification card using only an iPhone or Apple Watch.
“We’re excited to partner with the State of California to soon bring IDs in Apple Wallet to Apple’s home state, giving residents a simple, secure and confidential way to present their California driver’s license and ID card in person and in the app using Apple Wallet,” said Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet at Apple. “Whether you’re using IDs in Apple Wallet to quickly get through travel or to securely verify your age or identity at businesses, California driver’s licenses and ID cards in Apple Wallet make ID presentation seamless — all with the security built into iPhone and Apple Watch.”
Users with an ID in Apple Wallet can use their iPhone or Apple Watch to present their ID in person at select TSA security checkpoints and businesses, and in select apps, to verify their age or identity.
Security and data protection
Apple Wallet uses the privacy and security features built into iPhone and Apple Watch to protect a user’s identity and personal information. When adding an ID to Apple Wallet, the government issuing authority receives only the information it needs to approve or deny adding the driver’s license or ID card to Apple Wallet.
When presenting a driver’s license and national ID in Apple Wallet, only the information required for the transaction is displayed. Users must verify this and authorize with Face ID or Touch ID before the information is shared. Users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their ID.
A user’s ID information is encrypted and stored only on their device, so others, including Apple, cannot access it unless the user presents it. Apple and the government issuing authority do not know when, where, or to whom a user presents their driver’s license or ID card, and Apple does not see or store any presentation information that can be associated with a user. If a user misplaces their iPhone or Apple Watch, they can use the Find My app to lock their device and locate it or remotely wipe it.
Today, ID cards are available in Apple Wallet in five additional states: Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, and most recently Ohio.
