Google has expanded the availability of digital ID cards in the Google Wallet app on Android devices, with support reaching 13 U.S. states and territories after Oklahoma was added in October 2026. The feature allows users to register and verify a driver’s license or government-issued ID card, then display it from their phone instead of relying on the physical card alone in supported scenarios.
How is the ID added?
The feature works on Android 9 and later. Users begin by opening Google Wallet, tapping the add button, and selecting ID & personal info, then choosing the driver’s license or state ID option. Registration requires photographing both the front and back of the physical card, along with recording a short video of the user’s face. A frame from the video is sent to the ID-issuing authority for verification.
After approval, the ID appears below payment cards and tickets in the app, and its order can be changed. It can also be deleted remotely from the user’s Google Account if the phone is lost, through the account’s identity-management settings.
Supported states and territories
The list includes Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico. Availability dates ranged from December 2022 to October 2026, while Google announced that West Virginia is coming without specifying a final launch date in the material.
Where can the digital ID be used?
The main current use is at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in some U.S. airports. Users can tap their phone at an NFC terminal, then review the data to be shared and authenticate by unlocking the device. There is also an option to display a QR code inside Google Wallet. However, Google confirms that users are officially required to carry their physical ID card.
Some car-rental services and age- and identity-verification apps have begun accepting this data digitally. On the web through a phone, a system prompt appears requesting consent to share the information, while use from a computer requires scanning a QR code. Google says it is working on using Zero-Knowledge Proof technology to share information such as age without making it possible to link that information to the user’s personal identity, with plans to make the technology open source.
What changes in practice?
The expansion adds a convenient digital option, but it does not turn a phone-based ID into a comprehensive replacement for the plastic card. Acceptance remains limited to participating airports, services, and organizations, and the digital ID does not work for international travel. Use cases Google is working to support include recovering Amazon accounts, accessing electronic health services such as CVS and MyChart by Epic, and verifying profiles on platforms such as Uber.
Google also supports creating a digital ID from a U.S. passport for use with TSA at supported airports, including for people who do not have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license. This requires photographing the passport’s data page, scanning its security chip, and recording a video of the user’s face. Carrying the physical passport remains necessary, and this method is not valid for international travel.