Apple on Wednesday announced that several states will soon allow its residents to put their driver’s license or state ID in Apple Wallet on the iPhone and Apple Watch. Arizona and Georgia will be the first to implement Apple Wallet support, while Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah will follow. Availability will be announced by each state at a later date.
Adding the ID to Apple Wallet is like adding a credit card. In Apple Wallet, tap the + icon in the upper right of the screen, and you’ll need to scan your driver’s license or state ID card and also take a selfie. The images will be securely sent to the state for verification. The iPhone will also need to record facial and head movements (similar to how you activate Face ID) as another security step. When the state verifies you, your ID will appear in Apple Wallet.
According to Apple, users in these states will be able to use the new functionality at TSA security checkpoints at participating airports. Instead of handing over their iPhone to show ID, the checkpoints will have an identity card reader where users can tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to present ID. A TSA request for information will appear and users will need to authorize it via Face ID or Touch ID.
Apple makes user privacy a priority and the company says that it and the states do not know when you use your ID in Apple Wallet. Data is encrypted on the device as well as during transmission. Apple’s mobile ID implementation supports the ISO 18013-5 mDL (mobile driver’s license) standard.
Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he’s worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.
