Digital IDs and driver's licenses will be available in Illinois for 2025, but only for some residents, the Illinois Secretary of State's office announced Monday, offering a first look at timing for the highly anticipated virtual IDs.
According to Secretary Alexi Giannoulias, the office aims to bring IDs in Apple Wallet to Illinois residents "by the end of the year."
The IDs will allow users to add their driver's license and state IDs to their iPhone or Apple Watch. The office aims to add additional wallets, like Google Wallet for Android users, "in the future."
“We’re excited to have kickstarted our work with Apple – a company that shares our commitment to data security – to provide IDs in Apple Wallet that will offer convenience and privacy for Illinoisans,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “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.”
The move comes after a new state law took effect on Jan. 1, allowing the Secretary of State's office to issue such IDs for the first time. The legislation, which is part of Giannoulias' office-wide modernization effort, took effect at the start of the New Year, and though Giannoulias aimed to have the licenses available by that time, he had previously said they would only be issued "after rigorous testing requirements are implemented and the highest standards of security are ensured."
Last week, a spokesperson for the office said it was still beginning the "process of developing digital driver's licenses and state ID cards in Illinois."
"The office’s first step will be to develop the highest standards of security and conduct rigorous testing to ensure that residents’ sensitive information and privacy are protected," the office said in a release. "The office will take advantage of best practices from states that have already introduced digital IDs and leverage new technology to implement the best and most state-of-the-art digital ID program in the nation."
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So how will it work?
Here's an explainer:
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How will mobile driver's licenses work?
With mobile IDs and driver's licenses, residents will be allowed to decide what personal information they wish to share through a contactless encrypted data exchange between their device and the reader, officials said. Such IDs will be able to be used in instances such as purchasing alcohol, cannabis or renting a car while hiding other personal information – like their address.
“Mobile driver’s license and ID cards provide our residents with the option to protect their personal information,” One of the bill's co-sponsor's, Sen. Michael Hastings, said in a statement. “There is no reason age verification should require residents to disclose sensitive information such as their address when we have the technology available for mobile cards that allow for selective information disclosure.”
Additionally, an individual displaying their mobile driver’s license or ID would not constitute consent to have the device searched, according to a release from Illinois Sen. Michael E. Hastings who helped champion the law. Twelve states that already offer mobile forms of identification, while at least 18 other states are currently working toward the implementation, state officials said.
Some groups, including the ACLU, previously expressed concerns about the use of mobile identification documents, citing fears that law enforcement could search a person’s phone without proper consent. The measure in Illinois explicitly prohibit law enforcement officers from searching through a phone’s contents after viewing the mobile identification card, according to the legislation.
Hastings said a key feature of the law is "the requirement that mobile driver’s license and IDs use an electronic credential system – such as a barcode system – to certify there is no requirement for individuals to surrender possession of their mobile device to the requesting party."
Will mobile driver's licenses replace physical ones?
According to Giannoulias, the mobile driver's licenses would not replace their physical counterparts, but instead "act as a companion."
“We’re excited to reach a point where we can implement mobile IDs in a manner that ensures our roads are safe and that the privacy of Illinoisans is protected, while still providing law enforcement, businesses and medical professionals, which rely on physical driver’s licenses and identification cards, the information they require," Giannoulias said in a statement.
How secure is a digital ID?
According to the Secretary of State's office, the digital IDs will allow for added privacy for residents.
"Presenting an ID in Apple Wallet will allow for more security and privacy than presenting a physical card. Using Apple Wallet, 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. "This means that a mobile driver’s license or ID holder can provide proof of their age when legally purchasing alcohol or renting a car, without sharing other personal information – like their address."
Could you use a mobile driver's license at the airport?
According to officials with the TSA, the agency does accept mobile identification at airports, but still encourages fliers to carry physical ID cards as well.
As for REAL ID-compliant cards, mobile identification is also able to be used in those situations, but again officials urge residents to bring physical copies of their identification.
The TSA does accept mobile ID's in many situations, but it notes that "if a digital ID cannot be verified at the TSA security checkpoint, a passenger must use an acceptable physical identity document."
The TSA also stated that the Real ID Act applies to state-issued mobile driver's licenses and ID cards.