GoKawiilApple may soon start supporting digital IDs in four more states, expanding on the 14 where the feature is already available. North Carolina, at least, has confirmed it's joining up. The state's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently confirmed plans to deploy a mobile ID program this December.
These digital IDs will first be available in the state's NC Wallet app (not to be confused with a crypto app of the same name). The DMV expects to expand support to Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet early next year. Those with a valid North Carolina driver license or state ID will be able to set up a mobile ID at no extra cost.
The DMV notes that TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports across the US accept its mobile IDs, including Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Law enforcement officers will treat mobile IDs as valid identification as well. But if an officer doesn't have a compatible reader when they stop someone's car, they might ask the driver to read out the information from the license. The agency also suggests it might be best for folks to still carry the physical version of their credentials as a backup while "retailers, restaurants and other businesses transition to mobile IDs."
Elsewhere, Apple Wallet may soon support digital IDs in Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia. MacRumors said it saw code suggesting as much, but there's no indication of when mobile IDs will be available in those states. Apple Wallet currently supports digital IDs in Arizona (which was the first state to sign up), Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Hawaii, California, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Illinois, Arkansas and Puerto Rico.