Tech Desk 
Sep 20, 2024
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has replaced how drivers can store their driver’s license or State identification (ID).
Recently, a report by ABC7 unveiled that Californians are now able to add their driver’s licenses to Apple Wallet on their iPhones and Apple Watch. This is a continuation of the mobile driver's license pilot program that viewed the same download option for Google Wallets last month.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Deputy Director of Digital Services Serenity Thompson stated: “The phone is the centre of modern life. We use it as our primary motive for communication.”
"When you're travelling, your boarding pass is on it. And so, to have a driver's license on your phone is the next logical step," Thompson added.
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Moreover, it has been announced that the mobile driver's license can be used at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at certain major airports. These include San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose. While the number of airports is still restricted, more are anticipated to support this feature.
For instance, Apple seemed to reenable the Tap to Provision feature two days before the iOS 18 launch. The feature, which lets you add a debit or credit card to your wallet via NFC, was turned off last week for unknown reasons.
Despite this, iOS 18 has added several changes including Tap to Cash, Paying with Rewards and Event Guides.
It is important be note that, when initially announced, users would be required to keep a physical version of their license for traffic stops.
