– Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Californians participating in the Mobile Driver License (mDL) pilot program can now store their digital driver’s licenses and identification cards in Google Wallet. This new option provides greater convenience and security for those who opt into the state’s mobile driver’s license program.
“It has never been easier to have a digital driver’s license and identification card in California. The state continues to work to provide more convenience to those who choose the mobile driver’s license program, now with the option to use Google Wallet,” Newsom said.
California is now one of four states offering digital driver’s licenses in Google Wallet. Last week, Newsom announced that mobile driver’s licenses would soon be available in Apple Wallet as well.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) launched the pilot program in 2023 as part of the statewide Digital Identity Framework. The program allows Californians to store a digital version of their driver’s license on their smartphones. To date, more than half a million Californians have loaded their licenses onto their devices.
“We continue to expand the availability and acceptance of digital driver’s licenses and IDs,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “Having an mDL in your smartphone wallet is a tremendous convenience for Californians.”
The program is ongoing and currently capped at 1.5 million participants. Presenting your digital driver’s license in Google Wallet and the California DMV Wallet app is currently accepted as a valid form of identification at select retail stores and TSA airports. The DMV is working with public and private partners to encourage broader adoption of the program.
Jenny Cheng, vice president and general manager of Google Wallet, said: “Google Wallet makes everyday life easier by giving people convenient and secure access to everyday items like payment cards, loyalty cards, concert tickets, and more. Our research shows that the ability to store an ID in Wallet is critical to helping people feel like they have a full-fledged digital wallet. By offering this option to Android users in California, we’re excited to give people another way to move seamlessly through their day.”
The program will eventually be integrated into California’s Digital ID Framework, allowing the state to securely verify identities. However, the program does not replace the requirement to carry a physical driver’s license while driving. Participants in the pilot will still be required to carry their physical driver’s license, although use and adoption of the program will continue to grow.
“We are grateful that over half a million Californians are participating in the mDL pilot,” said Liana Bailey-Crimmins, chief information officer for the State of California and director of the Department of Technology. “California continues to lead the way in using and testing the latest technology so Californians can easily and securely use all of the state’s digital services.”
For more information about the program, visit the California DMV website.
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