California Rolls Out Digital Driver's Licenses for Phones: How to Sign Up for Pilot Program
If you live in California, you can now get your driver's license on your phone -- but what can you use it for?
You can use your California digital driver's license to get through the airport and buy alcohol.
Digital driver's licenses are finally coming to California.
If you're a California resident, you can download California's new DMV wallet application on your phone to scan your physical driver's license or ID card and turn it into a mobile driver's license, or "mDL." You can use the mDL at participating airports across the country and select retail locations.
The California DMV recently expanded its mobile driver's license program, which was restricted to a few thousand participants in August. For now, signups are limited to 1.5 million state residents during the pilot phase.
In January, Gov. Gavin Newson teased that digital IDs would be coming to his home state in a matter of months.
If you're interested in signing up for California's driver's license pilot program, here's what you need to know. For more, check out how to put your driver's license on your iPhone and how to watch Apple's Wonderlust event.
What can I even use my mDL for?
For now, you can use your California mDL to get through TSA PreCheck at more than two dozen airports across the country, including San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
TSA suggests you should bring a physical ID to the airport anyway, in case your digital ID can't be verified.
You can also use your mDL to confirm your age when you buy alcohol, tobacco and other age-restricted products. You'll need to activate TruAge capability in your CA DMV Wallet before you can do this. You can then share a TruAge QR code at checkout. However, this feature is currently only available at select retail locations in Sacramento.
Eventually, you'll be able to use your California mDL at businesses outside of the state. According to the California DMV, "Once the industry mDL standards and federal REAL ID Act standards for digital licenses are clarified, interstate use will be supported."
How to sign up for California's digital driver's license program
On your iPhone or Android, go into the respective app store and download the CA DMV Wallet. You can search for it or use the direct links below:
- Download CA DMV Wallet for iOS (minimum requirement: iPhone 6 running iOS 13+)
- Download CA DMV Wallet for Android (minimum requirement: Android 7+)
Once you download the application, follow the prompts.
Note: For this guide, I'll be enrolling in this program remotely, but you do also have the option to do it at the DMV.
This is the CA DMV Wallet on the iPhone.
To start, tap I want to enroll remotely and sign in to your DMV account. If you don't have an account, you can sign up for one. Continue through the next few pages, until your phone's camera turns on, and then scan the front and back of your driver's license or ID card. Do this in good lighting and place the card on a dark, flat surface to get the best quality image.
After the scan, you'll need to do a likeness check to prove that you're the person on the ID. Make sure that you're indoors with decent lighting and standing or sitting in front of a plain background. A series of lights will flash on your screen while your face is being captured. Make any adjustments once the scan is finished.
Finally, review the information on the screen to ensure that no mistakes have been made and then send your information to be processed by the California DMV. According to the app, the review process can take anywhere from 24 to 72 business hours.
If any information is incorrect, go back and make any necessary changes.
If the request is denied, you'll see an error in the Activity Log section of the app. If approved, you'll receive a notification from the DMV.
I didn't receive a notification, but refreshed the app and saw that I had been approved. I accepted the mobile DL/ID, waited for it to process and then added the mDL to my wallet. To use your mDL, simply tap on Show my mDL. You can use the mDL in two ways: as a QR code that someone can scan or as a digital ID.
It look less than 24 hours for me to receive my mDL.
Can I add my digital ID to my phone wallet?
Currently, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland support digital IDs on the iPhone and Apple Wallet, while only Maryland digital IDs work with Android and Google Wallet.
There are also digital cards in Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio and Utah.
Google Wallet support for digital IDs will arrive to residents Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and additional states soon.
What else do I need to know?
The California DMV suggests that you continue to carry your physical driver's license or ID card. Because mDLs only work at the airport really and not even all of those, you'll still need something in your wallet to show to law enforcement and businesses that require you to share your information.
Also, the usage of your mDL is not tracked and your data doesn't leave your phone without your consent. That way, your location can't be tracked and any purchases you make can't be tied back to your name -- at least not with your mDL.
While you're here, read more about Apple opening its digital driver's license and state ID program and all the new features in Google Wallet.