Driver’s license, ID in Apple Wallet enabled in Arizona

Apple announced that Arizona is the first state to allow digital storage of driver's licenses and state ID cards through Apple Wallet. This can be presented at select TSA security checkpoints at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Reference link:

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/03/apple-launches-the-first-drivers-license-and-state-id-in-wallet-with-arizona/

Using Apple Wallet does replace the user's ID and license obtained at the DMV. They simply store a copy of it in Apple Wallet. Adding a driver's license or state ID to the Wallet is simple. Users tap the + button at the top of their phone screen, select Driver's License or State ID, and then follow the on-screen instructions to set up and verify.

Users will be asked to take a selfie to ensure that the person setting up a digital ID in the wallet is indeed the person in said ID. They will also be asked to scan the front and back of the ID card. Part of the setup process also involves prompting to do a series of facial and head movements. This will prevent the person attempting fraud from simply holding a photo in front of the camera. The state will then verify and decide whether to approve the request to add a digital copy of the ID to the wallet. Apple will send a digital confidence indicator that the person adding the ID is the owner of that ID.

Upon approval, users can present their iPhone or Apple Watch to the TSA by tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch against the ID at selected airport security checkpoints. The user will be presented with the requested information and asked to consent to its presentation. To verify the user's identity, TSA will capture a photo of the user. This can be done without the need to unlock the iPhone.

This means that there is no need to hand over the device for identification. In addition, the use of IDs in the wallet ensures that only the information required for a specific transaction is shared, and this only happens if the user agrees to present the information.

While others may be hesitant to store their IDs digitally, Apple assures that identification will benefit from the privacy and security built into the iPhone and Apple Watch. Biometric authentication ensures that only the person who adds the IDs to their wallet will be able to view and present them. In addition, the data sent to National Verify is encrypted and does not even temporarily reside on Apple servers. When an ID is added to a device, it is also encrypted and protected. This is also tied to the hardware of the device, which means that even if someone gets ID information from another person's device, they won't be able to present it.

Driver's licenses and state IDs on Apple Wallet work on iPhone 8 or later and Apple Watch Series 4 or later. Other states planning to follow this ID on the Wallet include Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, Ohio, and the District of Puerto Rico.