In These States, You Can Use Your IPhone As ID

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Why do I still carry a wallet ? My iPhone can do almost everything you used to need a traditional wallet for. Most (if not all) of my purchases are made via Apple Pay or QR code, my phone saves all my photos, and most of my receipts are sent straight to my email. Basically, the only thing I carry in my wallet is my ID. However, once my state starts supporting Apple’s digital ID feature, everything will change between me and my wallet — assuming support ever arrives.

Starting with iOS 15.4 , Apple allowed you to add a driver’s license or other government-issued ID to your iPhone’s digital wallet. That doesn’t mean you can carry your ID around unnecessarily — states have been slow to roll out their own support for the feature, and most haven’t signed up yet.

When I first described this feature in 2022, only two states were actively allowing IDs to be added to iPhones , while another 10 (plus Puerto Rico) had confirmed plans to offer the option in the future, with a rough timeline of “soon.” Three years later, only nine states and one territory now officially allow IDs to be added to Wallet.

These States Now Support Digital IDs

Here is the full list as of June 2025:

  • Arizona

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Georgia

  • Hawaii

  • Iowa

  • Maryland

  • New Mexico

  • Ohio

  • Puerto Rico

Support in these states is still “coming soon”

These states initially promised that support would be “coming soon,” but nearly three years later, they have yet to commit:

  • Connecticut

  • Kentucky

  • Mississippi

  • Oklahoma

  • Utah

Airports where you can use your digital ID in Apple Wallet

Now, be careful: You can’t just hand your iPhone to a cop when you get pulled over. There are certain, limited use cases for this feature. Right now, that means identifying yourself at the airport, as well as at some businesses. Apple partnered with the TSA to make this happen, and it currently works at the following airports:

What do you think at the moment?

  • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

  • Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)

  • Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)

  • Denver International Airport (DEN)

  • Des Moines International Airport (DSM)

  • Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

  • John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)

  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

  • Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)

  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

  • San Jose Mineta International (SJC)

The feature will also work with participating businesses to verify your age. This includes bars, restaurants, liquor stores, festivals, concerts, and certain age-restricted apps. The business will need to set up age verification on their end, but if they do, Apple says you can tap your iPhone to their iPhone to get your ID. You can then double-click the side button on your iPhone to confirm that you want to share your ID.

How to Add a Digital ID to Your iPhone

If you live in a supported state, setting up the feature is simple. Open Wallet, then tap the (+) in the upper-right corner, then select Driver’s Licenses & ID Cards. Select your state, then choose whether to add ID to your iPhone 8 or later, or your Apple Watch Series 4 or later. Either way, you’ll need to scan your ID with your iPhone’s camera, then scan your face to verify your identity. Once complete, submit all of the information to your state for verification.

Credit: Lifehacker

The next time you fly from a participating airport, you can unlock your iPhone and hold it next to the ID scanner. You’ll see your digital ID appear, complete with all the information you’ll share with TSA if you give your consent (name, date of birth, gender, ID number, state, issue and expiration dates, real ID status, and ID photo).

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