NewsFlorida and Rhode Island block Apple Wallet driver licenses
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refuses digital IDs over government abuse fears. Rhode Island DMV head Walter Craddock also says no to Apple Wallet right now. Drivers in those states must keep carrying plastic cards in their wallets. Digital licenses are spreading fast across the rest of the country.
Put your plastic license back in your Wallet if you drive in Florida or Rhode Island. While other states keep adding support for Apple Wallet driver licenses, These two states just slammed the door shut. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made his position crystal clear on social media last November. "The convenience of a digital drivers license is outweighed by the potential for government to abuse it. Not gonna happen in FL. No digital ID." Florida actually tried a digital ID before but killed it in 2024. Up north in Rhode Island, Walter "Bud" Craddock runs the state motor vehicle agency and serves as chair of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. On a podcast last week, Craddock explained why he gave his own senator the stiff arm when asked about mobile licenses. "I had to give him the old Heisman move and push him back...the main user right now is TSA." Craddock worries about spending state money when New England airports could not even read them until recently, and he wants a system that works on both Apple and Google instead of building separate apps. Both leaders face term changes soon, meaning policies could shift by 2027. For now, if you travel or get pulled over in either state, your smartphone screen will not save you. Keep the physical card handy.