California mDLs coming to Apple, Google digital wallets

California is making its mobile driver’s licenses available in digital wallets from both Apple and Google “in the coming weeks.”

State IDs and mDLs can be added to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet as part of California’s ongoing pilot. The changes give Californians multiple ways to add their mDL to and present it from smartphones and Apple Watches.

Governor Gavin Newsome and Department of Motor Vehicles Director Steve Gordon each emphasize the privacy and security of California’s mDLs in the announcement.

Some businesses, apps, and TSA checkpoints now accept the digital IDs, which give users greater control over the information they share.

Over half a million state residents already have an mDL stored in the California DMV Wallet app, built by Spruce ID. The pilot project is limited to 1.5 million mDLs.

iProov provides the face biometrics and liveness detection capability that binds the individual to their physical ID document.

California’s DMV is hosting a pair of fall hackathons to allow developers a chance to build digital identity into their applications, and the Department is working with businesses and other organizations to enable acceptance of mDLs in more places and situations. The dialogue includes financial institutions, retailers, law enforcement and government agencies, according to the announcement.

Article Topics

Apple Wallet  |  biometrics  |  California  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  driver's license  |  Google Wallet  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  mobile app