Montana became the eleventh U.S. state or territory to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch on Tuesday.
The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports, though there are other uses, too.
Montana digital driver’s license for iPhone and Apple Watch
A physical wallet stuffed with cash and credit cards is becoming an anachronism, especially with tap-and-go payments via an iPhone or Apple Watch handling most transactions these days. That said, most people still need to carry around an old-fashioned plastic driver’s license. But Apple is doing what it can to make them obsolete, and a handful of U.S. states have adopted Apple’s system for digital driver’s licenses. Montana joined the list on Tuesday.
“We are excited to embark on an era of innovation, starting with Montana Mobile IDs and the Montana Mobile ID Verifier for Android and iOS mobile devices,” Montana Motor Vehicle Division Administrator Laurie Bakri said in a statement.
Where it can be used
Note that Montana is rolling out a digital version of driver licenses or state-issued ID, not a full replacement. As the state itself warns, “Users should also always carry their physical license.”
Residents looking for somewhere they can definitely take advantage of their digital ID from Montana and other U.S. states should buy an airline ticket. The IDs can be used at more than 250 TSA airports across the country.
But while the Montana Highway Patrol anticipates having the ability to verify mobile IDs before the end of the year, it can’t do so now. And Mobile IDs are accepted at MVD exam stations equipped with a check-in kiosk.
The long-term goal of the digital IDs is to allow users to provide age verification to businesses without sharing any additional information such as name, address or birthdate when buying alcohol or making another age-restricted purchase. Currently, however, the IDs can only be used at businesses and organizations choosing to participate in the program.
To increase acceptance, MVD also launched on Tuesday a tool businesses can use to accept mobile IDs: the Montana Mobile ID Verifier App. There will be iPhone and Android versions, though the software is not yet in the App Store at the time of this writing.
Get your Montana digital ID today
Montana residents seeking to add their driver’s license or state-issued ID to Apple’s iPhone or Apple Watch should read the Cult of Mac guide on how to add your driver’s license to Apple Wallet.
Those living elsewhere in the United States might check to see if they can do the same. As noted, they’re available from almost a dozen states or territories:
- Arizona
- California (pilot program)
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- lowa
- Maryland
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Puerto Rico
