The day is rapidly approaching when all you need to leave the house are a shirt, pants, shoes, and a cell phone. Here are five things to know about California’s new mobile driver’s license. Residents of the Golden State will soon be able to carry their official digital driver’s licenses on their smartphones thanks to the state’s new mobile driver’s license program.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced that the state’s Mobile Driver’s License pilot program will be open to the general public beginning this month. The program is limited, but because the mobile driver’s license simplifies travel through major California airports, Californians are expected to sign up in large numbers.
Things To Know About CA’s New Mobile Driver’s License
There is limited participation.
The state intends to limit participation in the program to 1.5 million people in its early stages.
How to Acquire It?
You only need a smart phone and a driver’s license. You can get the DMV’s Wallet app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You need an Android 7 or later or an iPhone 6 running iOS 13 or later to use the app.
You will be asked to create a MyDMV account when you log in to the app. From there, scan your driver’s license and sign up for the program by following the on-screen instructions.
How safe is this?
Very. According to Anita Gore, deputy director of the DMV’s public affairs office, who spoke with NBC, the California DMV Wallet uses biometrics and encryption and complies with the highest federal and international security standards.
How useful is it?
The mobile driver’s license “offers a quick and secure identity check at airports, without handing over your phone,” as stated by the California DMV. At SFO and LAX, get through TSA PreCheck quickly. When purchasing adult beverages, be careful about sharing information.”
The mobile driver’s license is accepted as valid identification at 26 major airports nationwide. The digital licenses are valid at LAX, SFO, and San José Mineta International Airport in California.
Keep your previous driver’s license for now. When you get behind the wheel of a car, you still need to have a hard copy of your driver’s license on you. Digital driver’s licenses are currently not accepted by local and California Highway Patrol officers in lieu of hard copies in the event of a traffic stop. They may not yet be accepted by many businesses as well.