Ohio has become the latest US state to support digital driving licences and state identification cards in Google Wallet, allowing residents to store an electronic version of their ID on an Android phone.
The expansion brings the number of participating states and territories to 12. Google Wallet state IDs are also available in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Puerto Rico.
How to add an Ohio state ID to Google Wallet
Users with a phone running Android 9 or later can open Google Wallet and tap the plus button beside “View more”. They should then select “ID & personal info”, choose “Driver’s licence or state ID”, select Ohio and follow the verification instructions.
The process requires photographs of both sides of the physical card, as well as a short video of the user. Google says an image taken from the video will be submitted to the relevant ID issuer as part of the approval process.
Once accepted, the digital ID appears alongside payment cards and other passes in the Wallet app. Its position can be changed, while a missing phone can be remotely removed from a user’s account through Google’s identity-management settings.
Where Google Wallet state IDs can be used
The main use for the digital IDs is at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in selected US airports. Travellers can either tap their phone on an NFC terminal or display a QR code from within Google Wallet.
Before information is shared, users can review the details requested by the TSA and must authenticate using their device unlock method. Google says the digital ID is designed to share only the information required for the transaction.
Despite the digital option, users are still required to carry their physical driving licence or state ID. Acceptance is also limited to participating locations and services rather than being universal across the US.
Some car-rental applications and other services are beginning to accept digital IDs for identity or age checks. On a phone, users can approve a request through a system prompt; on a desktop website, the process can involve scanning a QR code.
Google has said it is developing a “Zero-Knowledge Proof” system that would allow users to prove information such as their age without creating a link to their wider personal identity. The company plans to make the technology open-source.
Digital IDs are also being introduced for selected Department of Motor Vehicles services in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland and New Mexico. Google has said support is due to come to West Virginia, although no rollout date has been given.
The company is separately supporting a digital ID pass created from a US passport, which can be used for domestic air travel at participating airports by people who do not have a REAL ID-compliant state document. Travellers using that option must still carry their physical passport, and the pass cannot be used for international travel.
