Apple Wallet adds driver’s licenses and IDs for Virginia residents

Virginians can now carry their state-issued driver’s license or identification card on their iPhone or Apple Watch, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced Wednesday in Richmond.

The update comes as Virginians increasingly turn to smart devices for everyday activities, including shopping and entertainment events. In 2017, state lawmakers tasked the DMV with creating standards for issuing, reviewing, and displaying electronic credentials following an extensive pilot research program. Last November, the agency launched Virginia Mobile ID before the technology offer became available on Apple.

Virginia rolls out Mobile ID, plans to expand use of program across commonwealth

Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue said on Wednesday that he was excited about the launch as residents and customers weigh the benefits against privacy concerns. ID in Apple Wallet allows users to verify their identity and age with participating businesses by sharing only the requested information.

“It is easy, it is simple, and really important for all of you folks that are concerned about privacy issues, it is very secure, and it is seamless. So don’t hesitate,” said Donohue.

Virginians will be able to present a digital version of their license or ID at more than 250 Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints across the country, pilot Virginia ABC stores, and hundreds of businesses and entertainment venues around the commonwealth.

State officials said the ID stored in Apple Wallet may also be used in select business apps, in person at all Virginia DMV locations and with the Virginia State Police.

The DMV added that Virginia residents must continue to carry their physical ID as a backup, especially when driving.

“This is a momentous day in Virginia as we continue to expand our offering of cutting-edge, highly secure forms of identification for our customers,” said DMV Commissioner Saundra Jack. “We know how important it is to make identification easier to carry and use, and Virginians have been asking for more ways to do that. So much of our everyday life is on our phone and now so is your Virginia ID in Apple Wallet.”

The DMV said in a statement to The Mercury that the technology for “other digital wallets is coming soon,” including Google, but did not provide a timeline. 

To begin using the application, the agency said users should open Apple Wallet, tap the “plus button” at the top of the screen, select “Driver’s License and ID Cards” and follow the on-screen instructions to begin the setup and verification process.

To present an ID in Apple Wallet, users hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader. The device then displays the requested information, which is released only after the user reviews it and authorizes its release using Face ID or Touch ID.

Because the information is shared digitally through Near Field Communication, or NFC, Virginia users do not need to hand over their iPhone or Apple Watch.

Representatives from Apple, ABC, TSA and CBN Secure Technologies — which produces identification cards in Virginia and helped design the Virginia Mobile ID app — attended the announcement. 

Carter Langston, a TSA spokesman, told The Mercury that the agency has used the technology since the pandemic in several other states.

“This is a very secure way of passing information as well, because what’s in the app only gives TSA officers the information they need to verify: Is the credential real, authentic? Does the photo match the person standing in front? Do they have boarding status? Do they have screening status?” Langston said.

He added, ”We don’t need to know where they live. We don’t need to know their age or date of birth. That information isn’t passed to TSA in this app.”