First States Adopt Drivers’ Licenses With Apple

Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah are among the first states to offer state IDs and driver’s licenses through Wallet. As part of its announcement today, Apple said that several states are working together to enable their residents to add their driver’s licenses and state IDs to Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch.

The first states to provide their residents with this new technology will be Arizona and Georgia, followed by Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah.

In conjunction with Transportation Security Administration (TSA), selected airport security checkpoints and lanes will function as the first locations where customers will be able to use their driver’s license or state ID in Wallet. With Wallet, customers can easily present their driver’s licenses, state IDs, and bank cards on iPhones and Apple Watches.

“Adding the driver’s license and state identification to Apple Wallet is a critical step in Apple’s mission to replace the physical wallet with a secure, easy-to-use mobile wallet,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “In the future, we are hoping to offer this service nationwide through government agencies and a number of states, including the TSA and many others. We are already in talks with many more states in order to offer this service nationwide.”

Secure and seamless experience
The Driver’s License and State ID features in Wallet will make it easier, faster, and more secure for people to present their license or identification on their iPhone or Apple Watch.

Adding a driver’s license or state ID to Wallet
Similar to how customers add new credit cards and transit passes to Wallet today, they can simply tap the + button at the top of the screen in Wallet on their iPhone to begin adding their license or ID.

Users with Apple Watches connected to their iPhones will also be asked to add their ID or driver’s license to their Wallet app on their Apple Watches. A customer will then be asked to take a selfie using their iPhone and then scan their physical driver’s license or state ID card, which will be securely sent to the issuing state for verification.

Furthermore, the setup process will ask users to perform a series of facial and head movements as an additional security step. Wallet adds the customer’s ID or driver’s license once it has been verified by the issuing state.

The TSA accepts driver’s licenses and state IDs
Customers simply have to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on the identity reader to deliver their driver’s license or state ID to the TSA once they have added them to Wallet. If customers hold their iPhone or Apple Watch up to the TSA’s sensor, they will see a prompt informing them of the specific information it is requesting.

Face ID and Touch ID only allow users to release the requested identity information from their device. The user does not need to unlock, display, or hand over their device to present their ID.

Security and Privacy
Wallets present drivers’ licenses and state IDs in a convenient and secure way, while offering better security and privacy than physical wallets.

* The state issuing the ID and Apple are in the dark about when and where users present them.

* Apple Watch and iPhone’s privacy and security features enhance the security and privacy of driver’s licenses and state IDs. The system protects customer usernames and passwords against tampering and theft. With biometric authentication through Face ID and Touch ID, users are only able to access their ID or license from Wallet if they added the ID to the device.

* The drivers licenses and state IDs in Wallet are only accessible electronically through encrypted communication directly between the device and a reader, so the devices do not need to be unlocked or displayed.

IDs in wallets benefit states across the country

The participating states and the TSA will share more information at a later date about the availability and location of TSA airport security checkpoints and select lanes where mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs will be supported.

On iPhone and Apple Watch, Apple Wallet is a convenient and secure way to pay for groceries or access your favorite entertainment venues. With Wallet, users can pay in-store, online, and in apps through Apple Pay, ride public transportation, access airline boarding passes, and access loyalty programs.

Additionally, university, college, and school faculty can tap their device to use their mobile student ID in Wallet for purchases and getting around campus. Soon, Wallet will also be able to access keys to customers’ houses, apartments, and hotels, as well as corporate badges apple.com/wallet.