The North Carolina digital driver’s license became available on July 1, 2025, and you can get one by adding your existing NC license to Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet on a compatible smartphone. Under House Bill 199 (Session Law 2024-30), the digital version is defined as “the legal equivalent of a valid license,” so it carries the same weight as the plastic card when you present it.1North Carolina General Assembly. SL 2024-30 (HB 199)
Who Qualifies
You need a valid, unexpired North Carolina driver’s license or state ID already on file with the DMV. The statute treats the mobile credential as supplemental, meaning it attaches to a physical license that “exists or is issued,” so you cannot get one if your license is suspended, revoked, or expired.2North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 20 – GS 20-7 If your driving privileges were recently restored, confirm the underlying license shows active in the DMV system before you try to add it.
You also need a smartphone that runs a current version of Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet and supports biometric authentication or a secure passcode. The credential lives inside your device’s encrypted hardware, so the phone security features are not optional. Wallet apps update their minimum operating system requirements periodically, so check the app before you start.
One more account matters: MyNCID, the state’s identity verification system for NCDMV online transactions.3NCDIT. Identity Verification If you don’t have one, create it through the MyNCID portal before you begin. Older write-ups sometimes mention a “MyDMV account” for this step. MyNCID is the correct one.
How to Add It to Your Wallet
Have your physical NC license in hand and make sure your wallet app is updated. The general flow is the same on iPhone and Android:
- Open your wallet app, choose the option to add a driver’s license or state ID, and select North Carolina.
- Scan the front and back of your plastic license. A clean card and good lighting help the read go through on the first try.
- Complete the selfie liveness check. You’ll be asked to turn your head in specific directions so the app can confirm you’re the person pictured.
- Wait for NCDMV approval. Your submission goes to the state for a security review, and the credential may show as pending until the match is confirmed.
The screens differ slightly across Apple, Google, and Samsung wallets, but the sequence is the same. NCDMV has not publicly announced a separate fee for the mobile credential itself as of this writing, though the state’s payment processor charges a $3 fee on online transactions that could apply depending on how the flow is handled.
Where You Can Use It
At TSA Airport Checkpoints
The Transportation Security Administration accepts digital IDs at more than 250 airports and lists North Carolina among the participating states.4Transportation Security Administration. Participating States and Eligible Digital IDs You present it by scanning a QR code or tapping your phone on the digital ID reader at the checkpoint.5Transportation Security Administration. href=”https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Digital Identity and Facial Comparison Technology TSA still recommends carrying a physical ID as well in case a reader is unavailable or your phone dies. Facial comparison technology at the checkpoint is optional, and you can decline the photo by telling the officer before presenting your ID.
During a Traffic Stop
Because the mobile license is the legal equivalent of a valid license under G.S. 20-7(m1), showing it to an officer satisfies your statutory duty to have your license while driving.2North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 20 – GS 20-7 In practice, how smoothly the interaction goes depends on the officer and department. Some agencies have adopted scanning procedures for digital credentials; others are still working out protocols.
If you’re uncomfortable handing over an unlocked phone, you can hold the screen toward the officer yourself. The credential is designed to display only within the wallet app, but you still have to cooperate with the officer’s reasonable requests during a stop.
Age-Restricted Purchases
Some retailers and venues have equipment that scans mobile credentials to verify age. The digital format can confirm you’re over 21 without exposing your address, license number, or exact birthdate. Not every retailer has adopted the scanners, so the plastic card remains the reliable option when you know you’ll be carded.
Voting
North Carolina requires photo ID to vote. A court decision indicated that digital IDs can be used for voting purposes, but county boards of elections may implement changes at different speeds, and election rules can shift between cycles. Check with your county board before relying on your phone alone at the polls.
Do You Still Need the Plastic Card?
Legally, no. Because the mobile license is defined as the legal equivalent of the valid license, having it active on your phone satisfies the requirement to carry your license while driving.1North Carolina General Assembly. SL 2024-30 (HB 199) You are not legally required to also have the physical card on you.
Practically, keep the plastic card nearby anyway. A dead battery leaves you with no license to present. Not every place you go will have equipment to verify a digital credential. And if you cross state lines, other states may not recognize the mobile format at all. The physical card is your universal fallback.
If Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen
The credential sits inside your phone’s secure hardware, and the cryptographic keys that make it work are isolated from the phone’s main operating system. Someone with physical access to your device cannot pull the license data without your biometric authentication or passcode.
If the phone goes missing, use Find My iPhone or Find My Device to lock or wipe it right away. Wiping the phone destroys the keys that made the credential functional. Because the state manages credential validity centrally, you can also report the device compromised so NCDMV can update the mobile license status.
Losing your phone does not affect your physical license. You still hold a valid plastic card, and you can add a new mobile credential once you set up a replacement device. If both are gone, request a duplicate through NCDMV’s replacement process.
Limits Worth Knowing
The mobile version mirrors your physical license and does not change what it represents. If the underlying card expires, so does the digital one. If NCDMV suspends your driving privileges, the mobile credential reflects that. Renewing your physical license may require you to re-add the mobile version to your wallet afterward.
The digital license does not act as a REAL ID on its own. It inherits REAL ID status from the underlying card, so if you have not upgraded to a REAL ID-compliant license and you need one for domestic air travel or federal facility access, the phone version will not bypass that requirement.
Recognition outside North Carolina varies. Some states have their own mobile license programs or reciprocity arrangements; others do not accept digital credentials at all. Before you travel out of state with only your phone, verify that your destination recognizes North Carolina’s mobile format.