Apple’s digital driver’s license and state ID feature in Apple Wallet continues to expand across the United States, with ten jurisdictions now supporting the technology that lets users store identification documents on their iPhone and Apple Watch. The list currently includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, Puerto Rico and several other states that have implemented mobile driver’s licenses compatible with Apple’s platform.
Ohio has recently broadened its acceptance of mobile driver’s licenses, with four major casinos now accepting digital IDs through Apple Wallet: Hollywood Casino Toledo, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, Hollywood Casino Columbus, and JACK Casino Cleveland. The expansion follows a growing trend of commercial establishments adopting mobile ID verification, similar to how Nevada began allowing remote casino account creation with digital identity verification.
The feature’s technical requirements vary by region. California requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 17.5 or newer, or Apple Watch Series 4 or later with watchOS 10 or newer. Puerto Rico has slightly different requirements, needing iPhone XS or later with iOS 18.1 or newer, or Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 11 or newer.
Users can add their driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet through a multi-step process that includes scanning their physical ID document and verifying their identity using biometric authentication. The process begins in the Wallet app, where users select their state or region and choose whether to add their ID to their iPhone alone or both iPhone and Apple Watch. The implementation follows the ISO/IEC 18013 standard for mobile driver’s licenses, ensuring interoperability and security across different platforms.
The system incorporates multiple security measures to protect users’ identification data. These include encryption of ID data using cryptographic algorithms, device-level security through Touch ID, Face ID, or passcode authentication, and the ability to remotely lock or erase Wallet data through iCloud if a device is lost or stolen. The security framework builds upon Apple’s existing digital identity infrastructure, which has been successfully implemented in other contexts such as mobile student ID programs across numerous universities.
“The Apple Wallet app employs robust security features to safeguard your ID data,” states Apple Support documentation. “Once added, your ID is encrypted using advanced cryptographic algorithms. This encryption process ensures that the data is protected from unauthorized access, even if your device is lost, stolen, or hacked.”
Sources: Apple Support, IDTechWire, Phong Nha Explorer
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