Arkansas residents can now store and present their driver’s licenses and state IDs on their mobile devices through Apple Wallet, state finance officials announced Wednesday.
The Department of Finance and Administration confirmed that Arkansans can use Apple Wallet to present their license or ID in person, online, and through apps at select locations — including more than 250 TSA airport checkpoints across the country. Come fall, residents will also be able to use their Apple Watch to present IDs at University of Arkansas stadiums and arenas for eligible purchases.
This latest development expands on the state’s Mobile ID rollout from last year, according to the department.
“We know a significant number of Arkansans are looking forward to adding their driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet,” Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson said in a news release. “We are proud to work with Apple to make ID in Apple Wallet an accessible and convenient tool in our residents’ day to day activities.”
To present an ID in person, users double-click the side button, select their ID in Apple Wallet, and hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader. The device then displays exactly what information is being requested. That information only leaves the device after the resident reviews the data and authorizes the release using Face ID or Touch ID. Because everything happens digitally, residents never need to physically hand over their iPhone or Apple Watch.
To use Apple Wallet for verification in apps or online, users tap the “Verify with Apple Wallet” button, review the specific information being requested, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID before anything is shared.
The department said residents should always carry their physical license since mobile driver’s licenses aren’t yet accepted everywhere.