Apple Wallet Driver's License Feature Just Launched in Virginia

[MacRumors]

Starting today, Virginia residents can add a digital version of their driver's license to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch. The digital ID can be used to display proof of identity or age at TSA checkpoints in select airports, at select businesses, and in select apps, but the number of places where it is accepted is still quite limited.

Virginia is the 15th state to implement support for Apple Wallet IDs in the U.S., joining Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, and West Virginia. The feature is also available in Puerto Rico, and it works with Japan's My Number Card.

Apple has been preparing for the feature to go live in North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Utah in the coming months, and years ago it announced that Connecticut, Kentucky, and Mississippi were committed to launching the feature at some point.

To set up the feature, open the Wallet app on the iPhone and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, tap on Driver's License and ID Cards, select Virginia from the list, and follow the on-screen steps to complete the process. Then, you can present your digital ID where it is accepted without handing over your device.

You can present an Apple Wallet ID where accepted by simply tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch on an identity reader. Then, you will be able to view the specific information being requested by the TSA or business. Only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from your device.

As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy.

Apple Wallet IDs are generally not accepted by law enforcement, so carrying a physical ID is still legally required for traffic stops. In addition, the number of businesses that accept Apple Wallet IDs is still quite small. At least for now, Apple Wallet IDs are designed to be a convenient alternative where they are accepted.

Apple Wallet IDs are accepted at TSA checkpoints in more than 250 airports across the U.S. for domestic travel, according to Apple.

Article Link: Apple Wallet Driver's License Feature Just Launched in Virginia

 

[smithrh]

Thank you for heading off a lot of the silly discussion that goes off in the comments after a post like this.

 

[Core.2]

"As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy."

Tell that to the officer if you get pulled over. Great for other uses at least.

 

[slippery-pete]

"As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy."

Tell that to the officer if you get pulled over. Great for other uses at least.

So you have gotten pulled over and law enforcement took you phone? Interesting...

 

[TechRunner]

I'm done asking for Florida to join the ranks. I figure a little reverse psychology is in order. If I say I would have no use for it, Florida will approve it.

So...I have no use for this 😉

 

[smithrh]

"As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy."

Tell that to the officer if you get pulled over. Great for other uses at least.

I perhaps should not have overestimated the readership...

FTA: "Apple Wallet IDs are generally not accepted by law enforcement, so carrying a physical ID is still legally required for traffic stops."

 

[jaytv111]

"As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy."

Tell that to the officer if you get pulled over. Great for other uses at least.

“Officer, you don’t need my phone to check my license.”

“I’m not an officer, I’m your meth dealer.”

“Oh yeah.” Hands over phone

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Can we look forward to 35 more MacRumor front page headlines as each of the remaining states begins to participate?

I'll do my best for you.

 

[mentaluproar]

I'm done asking for Florida to join the ranks. I figure a little reverse psychology is in order. If I say I would have no use for it, Florida will approve it.

So...I have no use for this 😉

Ohio already has it, and thats basically the florida of the north. The yankees beat them again!

 

[rdinterman]

I'm done asking for Florida to join the ranks. I figure a little reverse psychology is in order. If I say I would have no use for it, Florida will approve it.

So...I have no use for this 😉

Not meaning to be political but factual, but the current Florida governor has made it clear he will not approve a digital drivers license.

 

[diggy33]

Good, its about time; the Virginia mID app continuously gave me credential errors after setting up my ID.

 

[wonderings]

"As mentioned, you do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present an Apple Wallet ID in person, ensuring user privacy."

Tell that to the officer if you get pulled over. Great for other uses at least.

If you read further into the post it also states most Police do not accept the ID so you are not going to be using your iPhone to ID yourself to a cop if you are pulled over.

What is the use for a business to check my ID? I have been in my factories and various businesses and the only time I have ever had to present my ID was when signing an NDA for trade secrets when touring a facility. I can count the times I have had to do that on one hand and have fingers to spare. Is there another purpose for a business to require your ID?

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Still waiting for Florida politicians to give up on their multiple failed attempts to produce their own version of it.

 

[gaximus]

I used the Colorado one the other day when flying, I was able to just scan my phone at the TSA desk(when they ask for ID and ticket), did FaceId and it just worked. I told the guy behind the desk, "That was cool" and he said "yeah I hadn't seen that before. Hope to many people don't start using that, I'll lose my job". It took me 3 seconds to get though, after watching everyone else take forever, matching Ids and tickets, and what ever else that guy has to do to slow down the line.

 

[BGPL]

I've tried to use my CA digital license a few times and most people don't have any clue what it is and they don't accept it as ID despite it saying so on the digital license itself. Also, the picture is super small and doesn't look legit. I was excited about it but it's going to take a few years to get adopted.

 

[jaytv111]

What is the use for a business to check my ID? I have been in my factories and various businesses and the only time I have ever had to present my ID was when signing an NDA for trade secrets when touring a facility. I can count the times I have had to do that on one hand and have fingers to spare. Is there another purpose for a business to require your ID?

Alcohol and tobacco sales.

And some events (concerts, plays, movies, etc) are 18+ only, or you need ID to pick up tickets.

 

[wonderings]

Alcohol and tobacco sales.

And some events (concerts, plays, movies, etc) are 18+ only, or you need ID to pick up tickets.

did not think of those, it has been a while since I got ID'd for buying a drink. All that though, you still have to have your drivers license so not sure what the real benefit is other then slightly more convenient for a small segment of society who look underage when buy alcohol and cigarettes. The negatives in my mind outweigh any positives.

 

[P K]

Yes.

I finally get Virginia! I’ll enter that when I re-enter my passport (since it got cancelled last night).

Same! I’d been wondering why my Digital ID was unexpectedly removed last night. Now I know and will set this up.

 

[jaytv111]

did not think of those, it has been a while since I got ID'd for buying a drink. All that though, you still have to have your drivers license so not sure what the real benefit is other then slightly more convenient for a small segment of society who look underage when buy alcohol and cigarettes. The negatives in my mind outweigh any positives.

Perhaps you can explain what those negatives are?

Doesn't cost anything, except for one of these stupid states charges a fee for electronic IDs, don't remember which one. Doesn't stop you from using your regular ID when you have to. Doesn't take up an appreciable amount of data. Takes like 5 minutes to setup. Practically no real negatives I can think of. The "policeman takes your phone" thing is false, they don't take this at all, and if they did, they would scan your phone on a reader like Apple Pay (the cashier doesn't take your phone to take Apple Pay, do they?)

 

[LlamaLarry]

Hmm, I got through the process and now appear to have to wait for the DMV to snail mail me a verification code. Guess that I should have not worn my glasses and maybe brushed my hair when doing the photo verification process.

ETA: I also have a mustache, so I am literally wearing a kid's disguise compared to my ancient DMV photo. I guess I have to be human reviewed to get the code.

 

[wonderings]

Perhaps you can explain what those negatives are?

Doesn't cost anything, except for one of these stupid states charges a fee for electronic IDs, don't remember which one. Doesn't stop you from using your regular ID when you have to. Doesn't take up an appreciable amount of data. Takes like 5 minutes to setup. Practically no real negatives I can think of. The "policeman takes your phone" thing is false, they don't take this at all, and if they did, they would scan your phone on a reader like Apple Pay (the cashier doesn't take your phone to take Apple Pay, do they?)

The negatives are more "what if's" and the power it can/does give your government.

- The potential for digital tracking by the government.
- It makes it easier for the government to restrict you if your ID is needed for more things like travel and entering events and other things.
- Privacy in general, your data and everyone else's is all one nice place for a data breach.
- potential for easier data theft and impersonation. If someone is able to somehow comendhere or clone your ID then they can much easier
- Personal choice could disappear when it comes to digital ID's. Even if a digital ID begins as voluntary, people may feel effectively forced to use it if businesses and government agencies increasingly make it the easiest or only way to access services. Covid was a great example of that. In some places you had to prove with a digital vaccine card just so you could go somewhere.

I am not a tin foil hat guy and they are maybe problems in the future. I would rather not lean in a certain direction when there is no massive gain and the loss is exponentially higher. I personally would never get one and hope that at the very least it forever remains optional.

 

[jaytv111]

- The potential for digital tracking by the government.

When you use your license or passport at an airport, it's scanned and tracked. No difference for tracking, these things are tracked no matter if physical card or digital.

- It makes it easier for the government to restrict you if your ID is needed for more things like travel and entering events and other things.

Again, when you're at an airport, if you were travel restricted, the government looks up your info in a database of people who are allowed or restricted from travel, literally no difference here from a plastic card, or from a passport.

- Privacy in general, your data and everyone else's is all one nice place for a data breach.

All of the data that's used here is behind a tokenized access system that requires physical access to your phone to enable access to the data. Similar in some respects to Apple Pay. The data breach argument also applies to physical IDs too, since all that info is also put into government databases. The government issues IDs so it makes no difference whether digital or physical.

- potential for easier data theft and impersonation. If someone is able to somehow comendhere or clone your ID then they can much easier

No one can clone the digital ID, as said before, it's a tokenized access system. Like Apple Pay, or even similar to EMV credit or debit cards, cards themselves have a code in the secure element that can't be accessed, and in Apple Pay and Wallet ID, the secure element is within the phone and no one has access to it but you. It's more likely physical IDs can be easily copied and cloned because nothing is a secure element on those. The equivalent would be if they start moving to a smart-card system like credit and debit cards but they have not.

- Personal choice could disappear when it comes to digital ID's. Even if a digital ID begins as voluntary, people may feel effectively forced to use it if businesses and government agencies increasingly make it the easiest or only way to access services. Covid was a great example of that. In some places you had to prove with a digital vaccine card just so you could go somewhere.

There would be no difference whether digital or plastic card. People bring their plastic cards with them everywhere, so if businesses started saying "ID required", then you'd be bringing your card to get in.

I am not a tin foil hat guy and they are maybe problems in the future. I would rather not lean in a certain direction when there is no massive gain and the loss is exponentially higher. I personally would never get one and hope that at the very least it forever remains optional.

Your arguments all apply to the plastic ID card too and the passport. That stuff is all on government databases, all tracked, and businesses can require them at the moment if they legally needed to.

 

[ifxf]

I'm done asking for Florida to join the ranks. I figure a little reverse psychology is in order. If I say I would have no use for it, Florida will approve it.

So...I have no use for this 😉

Just register your passport since the only place you can use a digital license is with TSA.

 

[Corefile]

Don't give your phone to the police or they'll rummage through it then take you to prison.

 

[andygchicago]

Apple Wallet IDs are generally not accepted by law enforcement, so carrying a physical ID is still legally required for traffic stops.

So it's technically not a driver's license