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by Autumn Foltz
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Arkansans can now add their driver’s license or state ID directly to Apple Wallet, as state officials continue expanding digital services aimed at improving customer convenience and reducing wait times.
The announcement came Tuesday from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, which said residents can now use their iPhone or Apple Watch to securely store and present their identification through Apple Wallet.
Jim Hudson, DFA secretary, said the new feature builds on Arkansas’s mobile ID program launched last year.
“We want them to have a great customer experience,” Hudson said. “Somehow, when they deal with government, they expect it to be a bad experience. We need to change that.”
State officials said the digital ID can now be used at TSA checkpoints in more than 250 airports nationwide. Beginning this fall, eligible purchases at University of Arkansas athletic venues will also accept the digital identification.
Christy Lorigan with the Alcoholic Beverage Control said the technology could help businesses better verify identification and prevent underage alcohol sales.
“IDs can be faked,” Lorigan said. “With this kind of information being encrypted and stored on your phone and verified by DFA, a retailer can simply use their scanning device to retrieve that data and know that it’s authenticated immediately.”
Lorigan said the added security could be especially useful in college communities, where bars and restaurants frequently encounter fake IDs.
The DFA also announced a new online appointment system for revenue offices across the state, which officials said is intended to reduce long customer wait times and provide more flexibility for residents needing in-person services.
“We want to give you options, because you're our customer,” Hudson said.
Officials said there is no cost to use the mobile ID feature, and they expect more businesses and organizations to adopt the technology over time.
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