How to Add Driver’s License to Google Wallet

• Zenblogr
• 0
• on Jun 24, 2023

Google Wallet’s Digital Driver’s License Card

Google Wallet is officially supporting digital IDs, making you to upload your Driver’s License or state ID card to your Google Wallet Account. Adding of IDs to your wallet will allows you to easily show your credentials anywhere in the U.S.

In a nutshell, this tutorial will be explaining to you everything that’s essential to know about Digital IDs, how it works and how Google Wallet is supporting Digital ID.

Many countries has been adopting digital IDs, but in the U.S., it seems the adoption has fully emerged in the middle of 2023. Apple, a tech giant in the country started supporting digital ID cards last year.

In mid 2023, Google started allowing some Android users in the U.S. add their driver’s licenses to their phones. Furthermore, not only you can driver’s license, but even health insurance cards and state ID cards to Google Wallet. Here’s how to add your ID or driver’s license to Google Wallet.

Google Wallet and Digital IDs

First of all, it’s important to let you know that Digital ID support came along with other feature to add improvements to Google Wallet on 1 June, 2023. However, the digital IDs has been in public beta testing since December 2022 before it official launch.

A digital ID card is the electronic equivalent of an individual’s identity card. Digital ID is an aspect of a person’s social identity and can also be referred to as online identity. The widespread use of digital identities can include the entire collection of information generated by a person’s online activity.

Example of Digital ID

Google Wallet, on the other hand, is a secure and private digital wallet on Android that gives you quick access to payments cards, passes, tickets, keys, or IDs. It’s an easy, secure way to store and show your ID.

How does Google Wallet Digital ID works?

Google Wallet Digital ID is typically a replacement for physical/pocket wallets and purses. You know these days, in pocket, there are many gadget that have entitle to it. One of which is smartphone that take so much space in the Pocket.

So, additional stuffing of your pocket with wallets and purses wouldn’t be a good ideas. In most cases, credit/debit cards, transit passes, supermarket loyalty cards, library cards and other cards are usually slimmed down wallets and purses.

However, with Google Wallet, you could digitized all cards with sensitive information including state ID cards, driver’s licenses and health insurance cards securely – at the very least to avoid having to waste time and hassle pulling them out of tiny wallet slits.

How to Add Driver’s License or state ID card to Google Wallet

Before you can add any Government-issued IDs (such as driver’s license, state ID card and insurance card) to your Google Wallet, you must meet up device and app requirements.

Your Android device must be running on Android 8.0 Oreo or higher. Then make sure your device’s Bluetooth and nearby devices are on. Finally, you have to enable one of the screen lock methods, and update Google wallet app to latest version.

Once all these criteria are meet, then, you can proceed to ID cards’ attachment. Here are steps to add driver’s license, or health insurance cards, or state ID card to your Google Wallet.

Update Google Wallet App

First of all, make sure that your Google Wallet app is updated. You can update your application to latest version on Google play store. Once your app is updated, launch the app and tap on Add to Wallet.

Navigate Menu to Choose ID Cards

Next, go-to Menu and select ID card. Here, a prompt will come up. From the page, choose your state. Note, if you can’t find your state, the service will be rolled out to more state soon.

Snap Front & Back of ID Card

This is where the verification process start. First, you’ll need to start by selecting continue And then scan the front and back of your ID card.

Do Selfie Video

Once you pass the ID card scanning, then you will be asked to record a short video of yourself looking straight, to the side, and up. Do exactly as instructed and tap on Send.

Submit ID Application

After the ID card scanning and you’ve passed the brief selfie video, tap on SEND to submit your application. Google will send your data to your state authority for verification, and it is estimated that it will only take a few minutes to verify.

Types of Cards Acceptable by Google Wallet

According to Google, you’ll be able to store any Government-issued IDs including driver’s licenses, state ID cards and insurance cards from your Android 8.0 Oreo or later.

Furthermore, here are U.S. Jurisdictions Google Wallet Digital ID is currently available;

1. Maryland (since beta)
2. Arizona (coming soon)
3. Colorado (coming soon)
4. Georgia (coming soon)

As you can see, Maryland is the only state that accepts Google Wallet’s Digital ID Card system as valid means of identification. 

Meanwhile, you can use it at several TSA checkpoints in some airports, and it’s also been confirmed that Arizona, Colorado and Georgia will receive support “in the coming months”.

And Health insurance cards acceptable are National Insurance Number from the HMRC app (UK) and Humana (US).

Hopefully, Google Wallet’s Virtual ID will come to more U.S. states and airports in the future, and I’ll keep updating this tutorial as more areas are eligible.

How to Use Google Wallet’s Digital IDs

To use your digital ID on Google Wallet App, you’ll need to unlock your phone using Fingerprint or password or PIN, then tap a supporting NFC terminal – the reader should call upon your ID automatically.

Google Wallet’s Digital IDs Private Pass

Alternately, to use Digital ID, open Google Wallet and select your mobile ID to generate a QR code. The app will generate a validation animation with a blue checkmark to show that your information has been read.

Furthermore, do note that these processes are prone to adjustment as digital ID support matures and adoption expands.

In a nutshell, to use Google Wallet Digital IDs, you’ll be required to perform device authentication (biometrics or passcode) when accessing them from within the Google Wallet app. This is because your linked cards contain sensitive personal information that must requires private pass before they can be accessed.

How to Delete/Remove ID Card from Google Wallet

For one reason or another, you might feel digital IDs are not really your thing, so removing it from your Google Wallet might be your best option, then here is how to remove or delete ID cards from Google Wallet.

How to delete state ID or Driver’s License from Google Wallet:

• Launch your Google Wallet App
• Navigate to ID Cards and select the particular ID card you want to delete
• Tap on More and Delete
• Tap on Delete to confirm your Actions.

That’s just the simple steps to delete/remove ID cards from Google Wallet.

However, do note that your ID cards are stored locally on your device through Google Wallet App. So, it’s not vulnerable to hacking in cloud storage or anything similar to compromising or scamming.

More Features of Google Wallet

The features highlighted here are newly introduced features that came along with Digital IDs to Google Wallet.

1. Instantly save tickets, cards, and passes with a photo scan of a barcode or QR code.
2. Save and use building keypasses for corporate users.
3. Instantly save pass and reservation information from Google Messages.

Lastly, I will keep updating this post for more latest news about Google Wallet’s Digital ID Cards. Now, let’s move to frequently asked questions section.

FAQs; Google Wallet’s Digital IDs

Conclusion

Digital IDs on Google Wallet is a newly introduced Feature. However, with it, you can eliminate the burden of carrying pocket wallets around – because it let all your Government-issued ID cards and Health insurance cards go digital.

Hence, instead of struggling or wasting time to bring out a card from tiny wallet slits, you can simply, easily and securely show your ID cards via Google Wallet App.