Depending on where you live, you may have followed the TSA’s rollout of Real ID requirements for various states’ driver’s licenses. As the New York Times reported in 2022, this is a policy that’s been in the works since the early 2000s – but getting every state compliant with it has been no easy task. But it’s not the only place where state IDs and the TSA have had unlikely convergences in recent years — and another one involves one of the globe’s largest technology companies.
As Zach Griff at The Points Guy reports, an Apple initiative has allowed iPhone users in certain states to add a TSA-compliant version of their driver’s license to the Apple Wallet on their phones. In March 2022, Arizona became the first state to adopt such a policy. Apple’s announcement at the time touted a combination of secure connections between their devices — iPhones or Apple Watches — and identity readers, as well as its use of biometric data.
Griff writes that Maryland, Colorado and Georgia have followed suit. Georgia is the latest, with digital ID support having gone into effect as of May 18, 2023. The Points Guy’s report also cites the following states as the next ones where TSA-compatible digital ID support will go into effect: Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico and Utah.
Ahead of Summer Travel Season, Passport Wait Times Double
You’re going to want to check the expiry date on yours nowJust because you don’t have to show your physical ID at certain airports doesn’t mean that you should leave it at home, however. The TSA has requested that travelers keep it on their person — which is eminently understandable. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared while traveling, after all.
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