Can You Really Put Your Driver’s License on Your Phone in Maine?

A few days ago, I got a notification on my phone telling me that I should add my driver’s license to my phone’s wallet.

I read the notification three times before I finally understood what it was talking about.  I knew you could use your wallet to store certain documents like vaccination cards (remember those?), but storing your driver’s license on your phone still kind of feels like science fiction to me.

Honestly, the only times I had ever used the wallet app on my phone was when I went to a few sporting events and concerts that only had digital tickets.

That being said, the tech nerd in me was really excited about this new feature.  Even though I have never had a problem carrying my license around in my physical wallet, I thought about how convenient it would be to have a digital backup of my license, just in case.

I decided to give it a try.

I tapped on the wallet app and tapped the button to add an item to the wallet.  I chose the option to add an ID card and was presented with this:

Yes, at this point, the only states that allow you do have IDs/licenses on your phone are Georgia, Colorado, Arizona, and Maryland.

Honestly, I was kind of surprised the heavily-populated and heavily-governed states like California and New York did not yet have the option available.

Will the option to have your license on your phone soon be available in other states?

According to a 2021 article from Maine Public Broadcasting, Georgia and Arizona would be the first states in the nation to get the option.  However, the article also said that Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah would get the option soon after Georgia and Arizona.

They must have hit a snag.

However, it appears that New York will soon have the option.  It was supposed to happen by the end of 2023.

No word on Maine yet.  But then again, look at how long we’ve been dealing with the whole RealID thing.

Until it happens, we’ll all just have to carry our licenses around the old fashioned way: in our wallets.