Google has been improving its Wallet app for the past couple of years and has made it useful not just for payments but also for adding boarding passes, loyalty cards, transit cards, etc. Moreover, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland are all states that allow Google Wallet to store personal IDs and drivers’ licenses. Now, citizens of California can do so too.
The latest version of Google Wallet now gives you the option to add California IDs and drivers’ licenses, although it’s important to note that it’s still a pilot program and it has a cap of 1.5 million registrations for now.
The requirements aren’t very high. You just need an Android 8.0-running smartphone or later as well as Bluetooth and Nearby devices permissions allowed so that the Wallet app can share your ID with entities that request it. You can also choose what information from your documents to share, which is very useful for privacy.
Another important fact to keep in mind is that government-issued cards do not sync with your Google account. They stay with the phone, so you need to add them again if you change the device.
The verification process requires a short selfie video, which is forwarded to the DMV. You will then receive your verification via email.