- Kentucky has launched an app to store residents’ digital ID documents
- State says Apple Wallet support coming in summer
- However, you will still need to carry your physical ID cards.
More and more people access their payment cards and other services through their phones these days, and now the US state of Kentucky has launched a new app that stores a digital version of your ID.
What is a digital ID? Well, as the Kentucky app demonstrates, it is a digital representation of your identification documents, which can include your driver’s license, state ID card, and more. Instead of having to dig through a bunch of different physical cards, you only need to present your phone when asked for your ID.
You can download the Kentucky ID app in the iOS and Android app stores. The developer says the result is “intuitive, easy to use and very convenient.” And if you’re worried about losing access to your ID if your phone is lost or stolen, the Kentucky app can lock your ID after biometric verification. That includes Touch ID or Face ID on iOS, for example, or you can set up a six-digit PIN if you prefer.
Kentucky is not the first place to implement a digital ID made for phones, as several other US states have added a way for citizens to use their ID documents on their devices. This is partly due to a feature called Digital ID that Apple introduced late last year in its Wallet app, and is designed to let you use your Digital ID for various purposes at US airports. At the time, Apple said it was rolling out to more than 250 airports across the United States.
In addition to TSA checkpoints at US airports, businesses, venues, and other public places can also accept digital IDs. That said, the Kentucky app developer advises users to continue carrying their physical ID cards, as “not all entities can verify a mobile ID.” So don’t give up your card just yet, as there will be times (like when authorities ask you to) when you’ll have to show it and your App ID won’t be accepted.
While the standalone Kentucky app makes things a little simpler than having to search for your physical cards, a better option would be to upload your Kentucky ID to your phone’s built-in card management app, like Apple’s Wallet app. That would eliminate the need for any third-party apps and allow you to store all your cards in one place.
Fortunately, that functionality is supposedly on the way. According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the state is “actively working with Apple, Google and Samsung to make the Kentucky Mobile ID and Mobile Driver’s License available in their respective digital wallets.” This will supposedly come after the Kentucky Information Network for Driver Licenses, i.e. Kentucky’s new driver licensing system, launches in the summer of 2026.
Kentucky is not the first state to move forward with a digital ID system and it certainly won’t be the last. As more states add this functionality and more locations accept digital IDs, the process of verifying your identity could become much simpler.
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