When will California get mobile driver’s licenses —and where can you use them?

Angela Rodriguez
·2 min read
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Imagine repeating your “phone, wallet, keys” mantra before leaving the house — except it might actually be OK if you forget your wallet this time.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is in the process of making mobile driver’s licenses available and hopes to launch by the end of this year, a spokesperson said. While you’ll still need a physical license, it’s currently testing a digital version that is being accepted at some liquor stores and select airports.

Anita Gore, a spokeswoman for the DMV, said the department is in the middle of a pilot program with 500 participants.

“The pool of pilot participants are set to expand in phases over the coming weeks before a broader public rollout,” she said.

When the mobile driver’s license — or mDL — is ready to go public, Gore said it will be available in a DMV Wallet on your smartphone. It is an easy, secure and convenient “companion identification” to your physical card.

“The mDL is not meant to replace the physical driver’s license, but gives Californians another convenient option for identity verification,” Gore said.

Where is the mobile driver’s license being tested?

The test program participants can use them at specific TSA lanes, Gore said.

According to the Transportation Security Administration website, the mDL is currently accepted at the following airports in California:

  • San Francisco (SFO)

  • Los Angeles (LAX) in the United Airlines terminals

  • San Jose International (SJC)

For those hoping to buy age-restricted products, the mDL can also be used at at select retail locations that use the TruAge identification verification, according to the DMV website.

These four retail locations currently accept the mDL in the Sacramento area:

  1. Circle K-5520 Dudley Blvd., McClellan

  2. Circle K-3050 Zinfandel Dr., Rancho Cordova

  3. Circle K-8830 E. Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove

  4. Circle K-9616 West Taron Dr., Elk Grove

Other locations in California that accept TruAge identification verification are listed on TruAge’s website.

“Since not everyone accepts an mDL yet, customers must also carry their physical card,” Gore said. “The DMV continues to work with interested groups to encourage acceptance of the mDL.”

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