iPhone Digital Driver’s Licenses Come to Illinois

Digital driver’s licenses for Apple Wallet are gaining more steam. This week, Illinois became the 13th state to sign on, and two others have committed to adding support in the coming months.

On Tuesday, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that Illinois residents would be able to securely add their driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet starting the following day.

If you’ve been following the rollout of digital driver’s licenses in other states, there aren’t too many surprises in Illinois. This still won’t be a replacement for a physical ID, and the press release makes it clear that residents must continue to carry those on their person for identity verification — especially when driving.

This Limited-Time Microsoft Office Deal Gets You Lifetime Access for Just $39

Sick and tired of subscriptions? Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 at a great price!

Like digital IDs in other states — and Apple’s new nationwide passport-based Digital ID — the Apple Wallet version will be usable at over 250 airports in the US, including Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway, plus St. Louis’ Lambert, which serves the region.

However, as Giannoulias points out, Illinois also intends to see it used for age verification in restaurants and bars, and it’s following Ohio’s lead from last year, launching a free Mobile ID Check app that’s been formally approved by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) so businesses can “check proof of age for restrictive purchases such as the sale of alcohol.”

The app leverages a new framework Apple added to iOS 17 two years ago that lets an authorized app use any iPhone as a mobile ID reader, eliminating the need for businesses to invest in expensive dedicated scanners, as they can use the state’s free app on any iPhone capable of running iOS 17.6 or later.

Further, since mobile driver’s licenses are an open standard, the Mobile ID Check apps in Illinois and Ohio should be compatible with any compliant digital ID, meaning out-of-state visitors should technically be able to present their digital driver’s licenses or passport-based Digital ID as proof of age.

One of the best aspects of using a digital ID for this purpose instead of a physical card is that the business establishment receives only the specific information required to verify the customer’s identity and age — and the person presenting the ID can confirm what’s being asked for before authorizing the request. For example, a bar or restaurant doesn’t need to know your home address or phone number to confirm you’re over 21.

While Illinois is rolling out these tools to iPhone users first, Giannoulias said the Illinois Mobile ID will also be available in Google and Samsung Wallets in the near future.

13 States — and More to Come

Illinois joins Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico in supporting digital driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet. Meanwhile, Arkansas and Virginia have committed to adopting Apple Wallet, though they’re taking two different paths to get there.

Both states have led with their own mobile ID apps for iPhone and Android, but Arkansas has moved on to prioritizing native Android wallets — Google and Samsung — which have already rolled out support, while iPhone users still need to stick with the standalone app at this point. Arkansas has confirmed Apple Wallet support is coming, but has yet to provide a firm launch date.

Virginia only launched its dedicated mobile ID app last week. In a press release, state officials promised integration with “digital wallets” in the “coming months” without offering any specifics, but have since confirmed to reporters that support for Apple Wallet and Google Wallet is currently in development. However, the official Virginia Mobile ID webpage explicitly names only Apple Wallet as a future partner, with no specific mention of Google or Samsung.