- Digital Wallet IDs are live: As of late 2025, multiple U.S. states let residents store their driver’s license or state ID in a phone wallet. Google Wallet supports IDs from 10 jurisdictions (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico and North Dakota) [1]. Similarly, Apple Wallet IDs are available in at least 10 states/territories (Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Hawaii, California, Iowa, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with Montana joining soon) [2]. More states (e.g. West Virginia, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, Illinois) have announced future support [3] [4].
- North Dakota Mobile ID: On Sept. 30, 2025 North Dakota launched its Mobile ID program. Residents can add their ND driver’s license or ID to Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet and present it at 250+ TSA airport checkpoints nationwide, as well as participating businesses and apps [5]. NDDOT Director Ron Henke calls it a “convenient option to securely present” credentials from your device [6]. North Dakotans still must pay a one-time $5 fee per renewal and carry the physical card while driving [7] [8].
- Pennsylvania legislation (SB 861): PA’s 2025 legislature is considering a bill (SB 861) to allow phone-based licenses. Sponsor Sen. Ed Neilson says the digital IDs will have “strict safety, privacy, and authentication requirements” and will work with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet [9]. Like other states, Pennsylvania will require these mobile IDs to be REAL ID-compliant and not a replacement for the plastic card [10] [11].
- Airport & TSA Use: The main use-case is air travel. TSA checkpoints at 250+ U.S. airports now accept mobile IDs. Travelers can tap their Android/iPhone at an NFC reader or scan a QR code to present identity [12] [13]. Some preCheck “touchless” lanes and age-verified purchases (e.g. car rentals, liquor stores) also accept digital ID verification [14]. Importantly, all IDs (physical or digital) must meet REAL ID standards to board flights as of May 7, 2025 [15] [16]. Foreign travel still requires a physical passport.
- How it works: Adding an ID to your wallet is simple. You open the wallet app (Google or Apple), tap “+” or Add to Wallet, choose Driver’s License/State ID, then scan the front and back of your physical card. You also take a short video or “selfie” so your face can be verified against the photo on file [17] [18]. The state DMV reviews and approves the submission. Google and Apple encrypt these credentials on your device; no one can see your ID info unless you authenticate with Face ID, fingerprint or PIN [19] [20].
- Privacy/Security benefits: Digital IDs use strong safeguards. By law (ISO 18013 standard), wallet IDs allow selective disclosure – you share only the needed fields (e.g. “over 21” without giving your home address) [21] [22]. Google Wallet notes that during provisioning “no one can see or access the ID information unless you authenticate on the phone” [23]. ND officials emphasize this control: “It is more secure because you actually control what information is shared, versus an actual physical card,” noting that selective data sharing is a key security feature [24].
- Carry your card: All states stress that digital IDs are optional additions – you still must carry the plastic license for driving and traffic stops [25] [26]. Even at the airport, protocol currently requires showing your physical ID to TSA agents. Digital IDs speed up the process but do not (yet) replace the need for a REAL ID card.
The Digital Driver’s License Revolution
Over the past few years, US authorities and tech companies have teamed up to bring your driver’s license to your smartphone. Instead of plastic, you’ll use an app like Google Wallet or Apple Wallet as your ID. In practical terms, this means your phone’s wallet app can now hold a credential issued by your state DMV [27] [28]. The appeal is clear: you often carry your phone anyway, and tapping it to prove your age or identity is faster and more secure than handing over a card. As BGR explains, now that many airports support digital checks, “the digital version makes it faster to pass through checkpoints” [29].
This shift comes as the federal REAL ID program takes effect. As of May 7, 2025, only REAL ID–compliant state IDs are valid for boarding airplanes [30]. (After long delays, the REAL ID Act set higher security standards for licenses; now non–REAL ID cards aren’t accepted at airports.) Digital licenses must meet those same standards. In practice, if you added your license to Google or Apple Wallet, it must already be REAL ID–certified back at the DMV. States are rolling out mobile ID programs in part to help residents comply with travel rules while using modern tech.
State-by-State Rollout
The early adoption hubs have been tech-savvy or small states. Google Wallet currently lists ten jurisdictions with live support [31]: Arizona (since 2023), Arkansas (Oct 2025), California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, and North Dakota. Similarly, Apple Wallet supports digital IDs in 10 states/territories as of Aug 2025: Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Hawaii, California, Iowa, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico [32] (Montana just announced support). Notably, both lists share many names – Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, etc. – but some differ: Ohio and Hawaii came to Apple first, whereas Arkansas and North Dakota joined Google this fall. States continuously announce expansions: Google expects Ohio, West Virginia and others soon [33], while Apple already has agreements with West Virginia, Connecticut, Kentucky and others [34].
Several states built their own wallet apps in the past (for example Utah and Washington have proprietary mDL apps). Today’s trend, however, is to use the big wallet platforms (Apple/Google/Samsung) for interoperability. For example, North Dakota’s Mobile ID program immediately supports Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet [35] – one of the most open launches yet. Others (like Arizona, Iowa, Georgia, etc.) similarly allow either Apple or Google Wallet.
According to industry analysts, more than a dozen states had approved or launched mobile DL programs by 2025 [36] [37]. Union Rayo notes that aside from those above, states with active digital ID projects include Ohio, Hawaii, New York, Louisiana and others [38]. In short, a nationwide digital ID ecosystem is rapidly taking shape.
How to Set Up Your Mobile ID
If your state supports it, adding your license is user-friendly. On Android, open Google Wallet, tap Add to Wallet (＋), select ID > Driver’s license or state ID, then choose your state and “Get started” [39] [40]. (On iPhone, open Apple Wallet, tap “+”, and pick Driver’s License or State ID.) The app will prompt you to scan the front and back of your physical card, then take a live selfie video. These images and video are securely sent to the DMV or issuing authority. The state (or its vendor) verifies your information and compares your face to the photo on record.
According to BGR, once you upload your scans it “can take a few minutes” for review, depending on the state [41]. Google’s own documentation adds that the video is analyzed to confirm you’re a real person and match your passport/ID photo [42]. During this process, Google/Apple servers do not store or read your ID data: everything is encrypted end-to-end. Only after successful verification will your digital ID appear in the Wallet app, visible alongside your credit cards and boarding passes [43] [44].
Once set up, using the ID is simple. At a TSA kiosk, you might see a prompt to “tap” or “scan” your ID. You either hold your phone to the NFC terminal (and then unlock it to confirm) or open the ID and show its QR code. The system then shares the needed data (e.g. name, photo, DOB) with TSA for verification. As Abner Li of 9to5Google writes, after you authenticate the share on your phone, the TSA officer can see your digital credential [45]. Any time the app or site asks for ID or age, you will have to unlock your device to approve sharing those fields.
Real-World Uses and Limits
Airports: Currently the primary venue for mobile IDs is the airport security line. TSA has retrofitted over 250 checkpoints (e.g. Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, etc.) to accept digital IDs [46]. TSA’s advance “Touchless ID” program (used in PreCheck lines) specifically supports Wallet IDs – you can breeze through by tapping your phone without even handing it to an agent [47]. According to ND DOT and TSA, the goal is to reduce lines and fraud by integrating biometrics and automated checks [48] [49]. (For now, the system simply streamlines the same verification that a physical ID and boarding pass would do.)
Everyday ID checks: Beyond travel, wallets can present IDs to private businesses. For example, rental car apps and airlines may let you upload your ID at booking instead of scanning it later. Some bars or stores are beginning to accept proof-of-age via digital ID apps; in one example, Apple suggests paying for a drink by tapping your phone as age verification [50] [51]. A key advantage is selective disclosure: you might share just “over 21” and a photo, without revealing your address. ND’s Brad Schaffer notes this is inherently safer: handing a phone keeps all other info hidden [52].
Legal limitations: It’s critical to note mobile IDs do not replace the plastic card in most legal contexts. Driving laws still require the physical license. According to ND DOT and state law, officers and businesses (like banks, polling places, etc.) are not yet obligated to accept a digital ID [53] [54]. In North Dakota and others, they explicitly say users must “retain possession of their device” – the digital card is optional. So far, even though you can show a wallet ID at many venues, you’re advised to carry the actual card in case it isn’t accepted.
REAL ID compliance: One complication is Real ID. With full enforcement in May 2025, airlines and federal sites will only accept REAL ID–certified IDs. This means if you add a non-REAL ID license to your phone, it won’t pass at the airport. Both states and Google have workarounds: for example, Google Wallet now allows adding a U.S. passport as an “ID pass” [55]. If your passport is scanned into the wallet, you can use that digital ID at TSA (domestic only). (Again, you still need the physical passport for international travel.) This passport-ID feature can “make up” for lacking REAL ID driver’s license at checkpoints [56].
State Spotlight: North Dakota
North Dakota’s program is a template for others. On September 30, 2025, NDDOT announced that North Dakota Mobile ID was live statewide [57]. Ron Henke (NDDOT Director) said, “We’re excited to offer ND residents this new and convenient option to securely present their driver’s licenses and state IDs using their devices” [58]. The ND system works with Apple, Google and Samsung Wallets and can be used at over 250 airports (including ND’s own Fargo and Bismarck airports) [59] [60].
North Dakota charges a one-time $5 fee per license renewal cycle for the mobile ID [61]. Shortly after launch, 700+ residents had enrolled [62]. Importantly, Henke and his team stress the ID is optional: “ND Mobile ID does not replace physical licenses,” he said, and you must still carry your card while driving [63]. In public comments, ND officials even highlight the privacy edge: as Henke notes, users will have “transparency over the personal information they share” [64]. Driver Services manager Brad Schaffer emphasizes that with a mobile ID “you actually control what information is shared, versus an actual physical card” [65].
North Dakota plans to grow acceptance. Henke says the DOT will work with businesses and law enforcement so that mobile IDs become widely recognized [66] [67]. (Currently, ND police are still asking for plastic during traffic stops; authorities consider digital IDs as supplemental.) But the trend is clear: ND joins roughly 16 other states rolling out mobile licenses [68] as America’s ID system goes digital.
Security and Privacy
Digital IDs are engineered to be more secure than handing over plastic. By design, you must unlock your phone (with fingerprint, Face ID or PIN) to even share your ID data [69]. The systems use encryption to guard your credentials: Google’s blog explains that “no one can see or access the ID information unless you authenticate on the phone” [70]. If your phone is lost or stolen, the wallet IDs can be remotely wiped, just like removing a credit card from your device.
Crucially, mobile IDs let selective disclosure. For example, to buy alcohol an app might only ask “Are you 21 or older?” The wallet will show just that flag (and maybe your photo) but not your full address. This privacy feature is built into international standards (ISO/IEC 18013) that underpin mobile IDs [71]. ND’s Brad Schaffer explains that this means you don’t have to “hand over everything” – only the minimum data needed [72].
Experts do note concerns. Privacy advocates warn that care must be taken to avoid centralized tracking of digital credentials (the Electronic Frontier Foundation has written skeptically about REAL ID–style systems) [73]. So far, industry players emphasize transparency: for instance, Google’s product manager Alan Stapelberg has stated that Wallet’s digital ID never shares unneeded info, and users stay in control [74] [75]. The hope is that by open standards and strong encryption, digital IDs will enhance security without sacrificing privacy.
Getting Started
If you want to try this, check if your state is supported. If yes, make sure you have the latest Google Wallet (Android) or Apple Wallet (iPhone) app, and that your license is REAL-ID certified. Then follow the in-app prompts to scan your ID and selfie. It’s recommended to do this in good lighting against a plain background for best results [76]. After submission, wait for state approval (you’ll get a notification). Once added, your digital ID will appear in Wallet – but remember, it’s not a replacement for your card. Keep your physical license in your wallet too, at least until digital IDs are universally accepted.
The Road Ahead
The momentum for digital driver’s licenses is building fast. Many states have bills or pilot programs in the works. For example, Pennsylvania’s SB 861 aims to make mobile IDs law, following the trail of states like Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Iowa [77]. Federal airports and agencies are investing in infrastructure so that scanning your face or fingerprint could become routine at security lines. Airlines and rental car companies are preparing to accept more wallet IDs for seamless service.
In short, carrying plastic cards may soon feel quaint. Experts like 9to5Google and Google itself imagine a future where all our ID, credentials and even passports live on our phones [78] [79]. But for now it’s a hybrid world – digital IDs enhance convenience at home and abroad, while requiring solid laws and standards. As Philadelphian Sen. Neilson puts it, digital licenses are “part of a national tendency toward digitization” of everyday documents [80]. The pieces are falling into place: secure technology, state programs and federal acceptance. In the coming years, flashing your phone instead of handing over your wallet could well be the new normal.
Sources: Recent news and official sources including 9to5Google, Google and Apple Wallet blogs, state DOT announcements, and expert commentary [81] [82] [83] [84] [85]. Each fact above is backed by reporting or official statements from those outlets.
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