Apple Wallet driver’s licenses are coming to North Carolina, but there’s a catch

Following California and Ohio, Apple Wallet is getting another driver’s license, with North Carolina preparing to bring digital IDs to the iPhone. The state is currently developing its mobile ID program, but residents won’t be able to add their license directly to Apple Wallet at launch. Instead, North Carolina will first roll out its own NC Wallet app, with support for Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet expected to follow in early 2027.

Apple Wallet support is coming later

The initial NC mobile ID rollout is expected to arrive before the major wallet integrations. North Carolina’s DMV has been pursuing a mobile driver’s license solution as part of its technology modernization efforts, and the state says the digital credential will provide another way for residents to prove their identity without carrying the physical card.

The Apple Wallet version should work much like Apple’s existing digital IDs. Once supported, users will be able to authenticate themselves on their iPhone, with Apple’s system designed to let users control what information is shared rather than simply handing over the entire license. Apple currently supports digital driver’s licenses and state IDs in a growing number of U.S. locations. However, North Carolina isn’t yet listed among the states with active Apple Wallet ID support.

The physical license isn’t going anywhere

There is an important distinction here: a digital license is intended to be an additional option, not an immediate replacement for the physical card. North Carolina’s mobile ID program is being developed alongside the existing physical credential, meaning residents won’t suddenly be expected to leave their plastic license at home.

That makes the eventual Apple Wallet integration more useful than revolutionary. For people who already carry their iPhone everywhere, having the driver’s license alongside payment cards, boarding passes, and other credentials is a natural next step, although the physical driver’s license probably shouldn’t be tossed in the drawer just yet.