Apple announced plans to let iPhone users add a driver’s license or state ID to Wallet back in 2021. The rollout has been slow, but it has picked up in the past year. Apple now offers a second option that doesn’t depend on your state at all.
Event Context
Utah has been on Apple’s radar since the company’s original 2021 announcement and says its Wallet project remains in planning. Earlier this year, we also rounded up the states that have publicly committed to Wallet support or are otherwise exploring digital IDs, including Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and others. Read that full state-by-state report here.
Team Analysis
At an eligible TSA checkpoint, look for signs indicating that digital ID is accepted. When prompted, double-click the side button on your iPhone — or the side button on your Apple Watch — select your ID, hold the device near the identity reader, review the information requested, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.
You do not need to unlock your iPhone, reveal all of the information on your license, or hand your device to a TSA officer. But because not every airport, checkpoint, or lane necessarily supports the same technology, a physical ID remains the safest travel backup.
State-issued IDs in Apple Wallet are still limited to a small part of the country, but Digital ID has made the feature relevant to far more iPhone users with U.S. passports. The most practical approach today is to add an eligible credential if you can, use it where accepted, and continue carrying your physical ID until digital acceptance is much more universal.
Have you used an ID in Apple Wallet or a state mobile-ID app in the real world? Let us know in the comments.
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Which states could get Apple Wallet support next?
Today, there are two different ways to carry an ID in Apple Wallet: an eligible state-issued driver’s license or ID, and Apple’s newer Digital ID, which is created using a U.S. passport. Here’s what each one means, where they work, and which states could be next.
Apple Wallet support for a state-issued driver’s license or ID is now available in 14 states and Puerto Rico:
Illinois joined Apple Wallet last November, followed by Arkansas in May. If your state is on the list, open Wallet on your iPhone, tap the + button, select Driver’s License or ID Cards, and follow the verification steps.
At participating locations, you can use an ID in Wallet at eligible TSA checkpoints and select businesses, venues, apps, and websites. Rather than handing over your phone or showing someone your full ID, you review the information being requested and authorize the presentation with Face ID or Touch ID.
That privacy model is one of the feature’s biggest benefits. A business checking whether you are over 21, for example, may only receive confirmation that you meet the age requirement instead of your birthday and home address.
There is still an important limitation: an ID in Apple Wallet does not replace your physical driver’s license or state ID everywhere. Acceptance remains limited, and you should bring your physical credential when traveling or when you may need to show identification.
Apple launched Digital ID in Wallet in November 2025. Unlike a state-issued driver’s license in Wallet, this feature is available to eligible iPhone users with a valid U.S. passport, regardless of where they live.
To create one, open Wallet, tap +, choose Driver’s License or ID Cards, then select Digital ID. You will scan your passport’s photo page, read its embedded chip with your iPhone, and complete a selfie and identity-verification check.
Digital ID launched for identity verification at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 U.S. airports for domestic travel. Apple has since expanded it to certain Apple Account and Apple services age-verification flows, as we reported in May.
Digital ID is not a digital passport. It cannot replace a physical passport for international travel or border crossings. It is also smart to carry physical ID when flying, since availability can differ by checkpoint and TSA procedures can change.
Apple Wallet is not the only way to carry a mobile ID on an iPhone. Several states operate their own mobile driver’s license or digital-ID programs, sometimes through a standalone app rather than Wallet.
These programs should not be treated as interchangeable. A state app can have different setup requirements, different privacy practices, and different acceptance rules from Apple Wallet. Some work at certain TSA checkpoints or local businesses; others are intended for a much narrower set of uses.
Utah is one example. Its optional mobile driver’s license is available through the state’s standalone program, but it is not yet available in Apple Wallet. Utah says its existing mobile ID does not replace the physical card, and its acceptance remains location-specific.
There is no reliable rollout calendar for state IDs in Apple Wallet. Each launch requires coordination between Apple and the issuing state, and a state’s digital-ID legislation or standalone app does not necessarily mean a Wallet launch is imminent.
That said, the most recent signal points to Utah and Virginia. As we reported in July, references found in Apple’s backend suggest that both states could be preparing support. Neither Apple nor either state has announced a launch date, so this should be treated as a promising report rather than confirmation.
Last time I flew out of PHX, I got all excited to use my iPhone to get through security. I have TSA precheck, and I when I approached the agent desk with phone in hand, I asked her how to use my digital ID. She said, “I need your physical ID.” I responded with, “I thought we could use Apple Wallet in this airport?” And she said, “Sometimes. But not today.” 🤷♂️
