Politics
Illinois Moves Closer to Digital Driver’s Licenses, State IDs for Apple Users

Users of iPhones can flash their devices or Apple watches to buy a shirt, hop on a CTA bus or get rewards points at their favorite coffee shop.
By the end of the year, they should also be able to store a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID in their Apple wallet.
A state law (Public Act 103-0824) that took effect Jan. 1 makes mobile IDs legal in Illinois and establishes that places of business can treat a digital driver’s license as they would a hard copy.
But as yet, there is no such thing as a legal digital ID.
For the first time Monday, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced a rough timeline. He said the launch will come by year’s end, and that his office is already in conversations with Apple to make it happen.
“This is the first component of a multi-faceted approach to deliver a state-of-the-art mobile driver’s license and state ID program that leverages best-in-class technology for residents,” Giannoulias said in a statement.
Anyone interested can sign-up at a state website to get updates on the rollout.
The office emphasizes that the law creates the path for the option of a mobile ID and license but does not mandate them. People can choose to not get one, and businesses cannot require it over a traditional license or ID card.
In the release, Giannoulias said an Apple Wallet ID allows for “more security and privacy then presenting a physical card” because “only the information needed for the transaction is presented, and the user has the opportunity to review and authorize the information being requested with Face ID or Touch ID before it is shared.”
The office said that means someone can share their date of birth to establish their age, without having to share their address.
The Secretary of State’s office is expected to create digital licenses for Google Wallet and Android users in the future.
According to the office, 10 other states have Apple Wallet digital IDs.
No state legislator voted against the Illinois law.