California’s digital ID is a free, voluntary mobile version of your driver license or state ID that you load onto your phone through the CA DMV Wallet, Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet. You can use it to get through TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports and to verify your age at participating retailers. It does not replace the plastic card you’re legally required to carry while driving.
Which Wallets Work and What Phone You Need
You have four options for storing the credential: the CA DMV Wallet app, Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. They aren’t identical in what they can do. TruAge age verification at retail checkout only runs through the CA DMV Wallet. Point-of-sale identity verification on devices like Clover, Verifone, and Toast works with CA DMV Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet, but not Apple Wallet at this time.1California DMV. California mDL
Your device also has to clear a hardware and software floor:
- iPhone XS or later running iOS 17.5 or above.
- Apple Watch Series 4 or later running WatchOS 10 or above.
- Android 9 or above with NFC hardware.
You need a valid, unexpired California driver license or state-issued ID card to enroll. The CA DMV Wallet app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.2California DMV. CA DMV Wallet
How to Enroll
Download the wallet app you want to use. In the CA DMV Wallet, you’ll sign in with your MyDMV account or create one during setup. The app then runs a biometric liveness check through your phone’s front camera, capturing several angles of your face to confirm you’re a live person and not a photo.
Next, scan the front and back of your physical license or ID. Clear, well-lit images matter here, because the app has to read the barcode and security features. The DMV compares your scans and biometric data against its records. Processing can take up to three business days, and the app notifies you when the credential is ready.3California DMV. mDL Q&A
For Apple Wallet, open Wallet on your iPhone, tap the plus button, choose “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the verification steps on screen.4CA.gov. Californians can now store driver’s licenses, state IDs in Apple Wallet
Where You Can Actually Use It
TSA Airport Checkpoints
TSA accepts digital IDs at more than 250 airports nationwide, including California airports, through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, and state apps like the CA DMV Wallet.5Transportation Security Administration. Digital Identity and Facial Comparison Technology You present a QR code from your wallet app at the checkpoint and the TSA system verifies you without taking a physical card.
Age Verification at Retail
Through a partnership with TruAge, the DMV supports age verification at select Sacramento retailers. The initial rollout covers convenience stores, small grocery stores, and neighborhood markets, with plans to expand to larger grocery stores, liquor stores, bars, restaurants, and concert venues.6California DMV. TruAge Age-Verified Purchasing
At the register, the cashier scans a QR code on your phone. On their screen they see your photo and a confirmation that you meet the age requirement. They do not see your name, address, or date of birth. TruAge pulls only your license number, issuing state, expiration date, and date of birth, and encrypts them into anonymous tokens used solely to confirm eligibility.6California DMV. TruAge Age-Verified Purchasing
What the App Shares and What It Doesn’t
Hand over a plastic license and the cashier sees everything on it: full name, photo, date of birth, home address. The digital ID shares only what the specific transaction requires.3California DMV. mDL Q&A
Everything you enter stays encrypted on your device. The DMV, other state agencies, and your phone manufacturer cannot read it without your consent. Face ID, Touch ID, or your PIN ties the credential to the device, so a stranger with your unlocked phone still can’t pull up your mDL.3California DMV. mDL Q&A
Certain verifiers, like law enforcement, can request more than your age. If you agree to share, the reader can display your address, license class, endorsements, restrictions, REAL ID status, veteran status, and organ donor status. You decide what goes through each time.3California DMV. mDL Q&A
You Still Need the Physical License to Drive
This trips people up. California Vehicle Code Section 12951 requires every driver to carry a valid physical license while operating a vehicle on a highway, and the digital credential does not satisfy that requirement.7California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 12951 – Signature and Display of Licenses The Governor’s office stated that the mDL in Apple Wallet “does not replace the requirement for individuals to carry a physical card while driving.”4CA.gov. Californians can now store driver’s licenses, state IDs in Apple Wallet
Driving without your physical card in your possession is an infraction with a fine of up to $250, typically dismissed if you later show a valid license in court. Refusing to present your license when a peace officer demands it during a traffic stop is a misdemeanor under Section 12951(b), punishable by up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.7California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 12951 – Signature and Display of Licenses Keep the plastic card in your wallet or vehicle. The digital ID is an addition to it, not a replacement.