Article
In this photo illustration, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) logo is seen on a California driver’s license in San Anselmo, California, on May 9, 2017. (Photo illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – Have you ever wished you had your driver’s license on your phone? If you live in California, you can now!
The California DMV announced that it has expanded its pilot program that allows drivers to obtain a digital driver’s license or ID card – also known as an “mDL” (mobile driver’s license).
According to the DMV website, the free pilot program is now open to 1.5 million participants.
All you need to do is download the CA DMV Wallet app on iOS and Android.
But don’t think about leaving your physical driver’s license or ID card at home just yet.
RECOMMENDED: DMV Completes Driver’s License Processing in Southern California
The DMV said it is important to note that “law enforcement agencies, state government agencies and businesses do not yet accept the mDL” and “only some airports and a handful of retail locations support it.”
As for your personal information, the DMV says it “does not permanently store your personal information,” but does store your phone number and an “encrypted photo of your DL/ID card.”
Additionally, the mDL is only available within the app – you can’t add it to your Apple or Google digital wallet yet, but the DMV hopes to bring the mDL to additional platforms in the future.