Virginia residents can now store a digital version of their driver’s license in Apple Wallet, making the state the 15th in the U.S. to support the feature on iPhone and Apple Watch.
The digital ID can be used to verify identity or age at TSA checkpoints, participating businesses, and select apps.
Apple says its Wallet IDs are accepted at more than 250 airports nationwide for domestic travel, though the number of businesses and other venues that accept them remains limited.
How to set it up
To add a Virginia ID, open the Wallet app, tap the plus sign in the top-right corner, select Driver’s License and ID Cards, then choose Virginia and follow the on-screen instructions.
The process requires photo verification, and some users may need to wait for a physical verification code mailed by the DMV if the automated review can’t confirm their identity.
When presenting the ID in person, users tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on a compatible reader.
The system then displays exactly what information is being requested, and only after the user authenticates with Face ID or Touch ID is that data transmitted. The device never needs to be unlocked, shown to a screen, or handed over.
Where it works and where it doesn’t
Virginia joins Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, and West Virginia. The feature is also available in Puerto Rico and supports Japan’s My Number Card.
One important limitation: Apple Wallet IDs are not accepted by law enforcement, so drivers are still legally required to carry a physical license for traffic stops.
For now, the digital ID functions primarily as an alternative identification option in specific, opt-in settings rather than a wholesale replacement for a physical card.
Apple has been preparing the feature for North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Utah in the coming months.
Connecticut, Kentucky, and Mississippi have also committed to launching support at some point, though no timelines have been announced for those states.
