Californians can now carry driver's licenses on their phone as part of pilot program

Debbie Truong
·1 min read
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Ryan Williams, with the Utah Drivers License Division, displayes his cell phone with the pilot version of the state's mobile ID on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in West Valley City, Utah. The card that millions of people use to prove their identity to everyone from police officers to liquor store owners may soon be a thing of the past as a growing number of states develop digital driver's licenses. In Utah, over 100 people have a pilot version of the state's mobile ID, and that number is expected to grow to 10,000 by year's end. Widespread production is expected to begin at the start of 2022. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Ryan Williams, with the Utah Drivers License Division, displays his cellphone with the pilot version of the state's mobile ID in West Valley City, Utah. (Rick Bowmer/AP)

California is experimenting with digital driver’s licenses.

Residents can download the CA DMV Wallet app on their smartphone and follow the instructions to scan their driver’s license, or ID. The mobile driver’s license program is in a pilot phase, limiting participation to 1.5 million people, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Several airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, accept mobile licenses as a form of identification. But users should still carry their physical driver’s license — law enforcement, state government agencies and businesses are not yet accepting the mobile licenses.

The pilot program began in May with a limited pool of participants and expanded to the public in August, according to NBC.

The mobile driver's license, or mDL, in the California DMV Wallet is secured through the use of biometrics and encryption, and meets the highest federal and international security standards, making it harder for unauthorized individuals to access or steal it, Anita Gore, deputy director of public affairs office for the DMV, told the station.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.