In the coming months, you may be able to access your California driver’s license right on your smartphone.
Right now, 2,000 people in California are testing and providing feedback on the California DMV’s Mobile Driver’s License Pilot Program which allows people to use a digital version of their license in place of an ID card.
“Definitely could have seen this happening. Ever since I got my vaccination card on my phone, I could have seen this happening,” said Michael Theodore, San Luis Obispo resident.
“That is the way the world is going. Everything is media-driven, internet-driven, so I am not surprised at all,” added Debbie Childress, Nipomo resident.
DMV officials say the mobile driver’s licenses allow users to present their digital IDs when making age-restricted purchases or boarding flights at select airports.
Some locals say having their ID on their iPhone would be a game changer.
“It would be way easier for me to get into concerts and whatnot. I wouldn’t have to dig through my bag to try and find it, and if you lose it at a bar one night, you are not screwed the next day,” Theodore added.
Others have concerns about possible impacts on privacy as the world continues going digital.
“I am just not that comfortable with availability, for other people to see my information. So no, I am happy with the good old-fashioned paper,” Childress said.
According to the California DMV’s Office of Media Relations, mobile driver’s licenses would be an alternative way for people to show proof of ID while still allowing others to use a traditional license if they prefer.
“For folks who may not necessarily be able to afford a smartphone, or for people who are still learning to use newer technology, I think it is definitely very important to have that choice,” said Yan Shan, Santa Maria resident.
It is expected that the DMV will gradually begin expanding its pool of pilot participants over the coming weeks before it is rolled out to the broader public.
Once that time comes, Theodore says he will sign up right away.
“My whole life is already on my phone. I have Apple Pay on my phone. Everything is on my phone, so if I could also have my ID on my phone, I wouldn’t even need a wallet anymore,” he told KSBY.
So far, the San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose airports are accepting mobile driver’s licenses.
Once they are made available to the general public, however, DMV officials say you should still carry your physical card with you, because many businesses may not accept the digital version.
Other states that currently offer mobile driver’s licenses include Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Hawaii, Ohio, Utah, and Maryland.
