Illinois has gone live with mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs that can be stored in Apple Wallet, adding the state to the growing list of US jurisdictions that support digital IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch. The Secretary of State’s office confirmed that residents can now add their credentials by selecting “Driver’s License or State ID” in the Wallet app, scanning the physical card, and completing a selfie and head movement verification process. Illinois had previously announced plans to launch by late 2025, with the initiative enabled through House Bill 4592 that took effect at the beginning of 2025.
The digital credential is designed to provide selective disclosure. When presented at participating venues such as bars or airport security checkpoints, the system can confirm attributes like “21 or over” without revealing the cardholder’s full address or other data that appears on the physical card. Officials in Illinois describe the mobile ID as a companion rather than a replacement, and residents are still advised to carry their physical driver’s license, particularly when driving or interacting with law enforcement, since not all relying parties are prepared to accept mobile IDs.
Apple indicates that with Illinois onboard, mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs in Wallet are now supported in 13 US states plus Puerto Rico. Digital IDs in Wallet can also be provisioned based on passports, which broadens the availability of the feature beyond participating states, although acceptance in that case is limited mainly to TSA checkpoints. In Illinois, Apple highlights that mobile IDs can be used at more than 250 US airport checkpoints, including Chicago O’Hare and Midway, where TSA has already deployed readers for compatible digital credentials. West Virginia recently became the 12th state to support Apple Wallet IDs, while Iowa added both Apple and Google Wallet support and North Carolina is targeting a mid-2025 launch.
The rollout comes at a time when mobile driver’s license technical standards are stabilizing and more US states are looking at the practicalities of digital IDs. Illinois is starting with Apple Wallet, with officials indicating that support for Google and Samsung wallets is planned in subsequent phases. For identity vendors and relying parties, the implementation illustrates the continued shift toward wallet-based credentials anchored in government identity proofing, while also underscoring that coexistence with physical documents will persist for the foreseeable future.
Sources: WFIW; Illinois Government Today; 9to5Mac
—
By the ID Tech Editorial Team
