UK Announces Digital Wallet for IDs and Driver's Licenses

The UK government today announced plans for a digital wallet that will house digital driver's licenses. It is not yet clear if the digital wallet that the UK government has planned will integrate with Apple Wallet, but UK users will be able to access their driver's licenses through a GOV.UK app on the iPhone when the initiative launches.

uk wallet app
The digital driver's license will allow users to prove their age when purchasing age-restricted items, and it will serve as proof of the right to drive. Personal information will be protected with Face ID or Touch ID for security even if a device is lost.

Along with driver's licenses, the UK digital wallet will eventually include veteran cards, DBS checks, and other documents issued by the government, but traditional physical documents will also remain available.

The UK digital wallet app is launching alongside a GOV.UK app that will feature a built-in "GOV.UK Chat" chatbot that is being created in partnership with OpenAI, and the chat service is already being tested. The chatbot will let UK residents make payments and receive notifications and reminders about government services.

In the United States, Apple has partnered with several states to bring digital driver's licenses and ID cards to the Wallet app on the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch. Digital IDs are available in nine states, as well as Puerto Rico. At least six additional states have pledged future support for the functionality.

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

10 Reasons to Wait for This Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday January 8, 2026 2:56 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
samsung crease less foldable display ces 2026%402x

Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

Tuesday January 6, 2026 3:04 am PST by
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison. The ...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026

Friday January 9, 2026 8:17 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iOS 27 Mock Quick

Five New iPhone Features Rumored for iOS 27

Wednesday January 7, 2026 2:51 pm PST by
Though it's been just a few months since iOS 26 launched, we're already hearing rumors about the next-generation version of iOS, iOS 27. iOS 27 will be introduced at Apple's June WWDC 2026 event before it launches in September 2026. We don't know all of the details about iOS 27 yet, but we do have some information about what to expect. "Snow Leopard" Update iOS 27 will apparently focus...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Apple Card Will Move From Goldman Sachs to JPMorgan Chase

Wednesday January 7, 2026 12:57 pm PST by
JPMorgan Chase has reached a deal to take over operation of the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. Barring any "last minute hiccups," the deal should be announced shortly after over a year of negotiations. Reports began circulating over two years ago that current Apple Card issuer Goldman Sachs was looking to end its partnership with Apple as part of an effort to scale back on...
Logitech MX Master 3S

Logitech Blames 'Inexcusable Mistake' After Certificate Expiry Breaks macOS Apps

Wednesday January 7, 2026 5:27 am PST by
Logitech users on macOS found themselves locked out of their mouse customizations yesterday after the company let a security certificate expire, breaking both its Logi Options+ and G HUB configuration apps. Logitech devices like its MX Master series mice and MX Keys keyboards stopped working properly as a result of the oversight, with users unable to access their custom scrolling setup,...
ChatGPT Health Integration Connectors Feature

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health With Apple Health Integration

Wednesday January 7, 2026 11:27 am PST by
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a dedicated section of ChatGPT where users can ask health-related questions completely separated from their main ChatGPT experience. For more personalized responses, users can connect various health data services such as Apple Health, Function, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, AllTrails, Instacart, and Peloton. Last month, MacRumors discovere...
safari icon blue banner

Apple Loses Safari Lead Designer to The Browser Company

Thursday January 8, 2026 10:50 am PST by
Apple has lost another senior figure from its Safari team as a lead designer departs for The Browser Company, extending a pattern of high-profile exits from Apple's browser team amid intensifying competition around AI-driven browsing. Marco Triverio was a lead designer for Safari and has now joined The Browser Company, the developer of the Arc and Dia browsers. The move was confirmed by The...

Top Rated Comments

jlwarlow Avatar
13 months ago
Again the UK gov investing tax payers money duplicating ID wallet already available on iPhone and Android ?‍♂️ Why not use the wallets already out there and add driving license to those like some US states already have?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fivenotrump Avatar
13 months ago
or 'Driving Licence' as we say over here
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cupcakes2000 Avatar
13 months ago

Backdoor way to introduce a mandatory ID card.
Hardly. They would just introduce a mandatory id card if that’s what they wanted to do.


It isn't yet? Here in Germany everyone needs to have an ID or passport
You don’t need to carry ID in the UK. You don’t need to carry your driving licence either, even if driving. You have to produce it at a police station if pulled over and asked and you don’t have it though. And of course they know who you are anyway, from your license plate and insurance docs which must be carried.

*edit* not insurance docs either, I was mistaken
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sjdigital Avatar
13 months ago

and insurance docs which must be carried.
Since when? First I’ve heard of it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McKodiak Avatar
13 months ago

Again the UK gov investing tax payers money duplicating ID wallet already available on iPhone and Android ?‍♂️ Why not use the wallets already out there and add driving license to those like some US states already have?
I'm hoping this is similar to concert tickets where you have the ticketing app where you can access your tickets but you have the option to add to your apple wallet.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blahsua Avatar
13 months ago
Welcome to 2019 from your friends in Sydney, Australia; where we've had most of our state licences digital for a while.



The law was updated to reflect most, if not all, scenarios such as broken screens, flat batteries, and how to interact with police (they only have to sight it - not allowed to touch your phone).

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/pdf/asmade/act-2020-27

On an Australian federal level, state digital licences are an acceptable form of ID with no discrimination between that and the the physical form.

Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)