You reach the front of the TSA line in Orlando, open Wallet on your iPhone, tap the plus button and scroll the list of states. Florida is not there. If you have been waiting for a Florida digital drivers license you can keep on your phone, the latest signals from Tallahassee suggest you will be waiting a while longer.
Apple keeps adding states to its ID in Wallet program, but Florida has made clear it is not interested, and Rhode Island is holding back too. Here is why, and what you can use instead.
The short answer on a Florida digital drivers license
No, you cannot add a Florida license or state ID card to Apple Wallet today, and the state has given no sign that it plans to change that. Florida is missing from Apple’s own list of participating states, and the governor has spoken out against the whole idea.
That puts Florida residents in an odd spot. Neighbors in Georgia can flash a phone at some checkpoints, while travelers with a Florida card still hand over the plastic (or another accepted ID).
Why Florida is saying no
The resistance starts at the top. Governor Ron DeSantis laid out his view in a post on X on November 28, 2025:
The convenience of a digital drivers license is outweighed by the potential for government to abuse it.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
There is history here as well. Florida ran its own digital ID for a time, then pulled the plug in 2024. So a Florida digital drivers license is not a technical problem the state has yet to solve. It is a policy choice, and right now the policy is no.
Your physical card is not going anywhere either. Florida’s motor vehicle agency says older licenses stay valid next to newer designs until they expire or need a change, such as a new name or address.
Rhode Island is waiting for a reason, too
Florida is not alone. Rhode Island’s Walter “Bud” Craddock, who chairs the board of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, talked about mobile IDs on the group’s AAMVAcast podcast. He said he wants to see “more universal adoption or need for an MDL” first, and he would rather have one approach that works on every phone platform than separate Apple and Google projects. In his view, the TSA is the main place these IDs get used today.
The episode, released September 28, 2026, was billed as his farewell as board chair. Whoever steps into the Rhode Island conversation next could take a different line, but nobody has announced a date.
Which states support IDs in Apple Wallet
Until a Florida digital drivers license shows up, these are the 17 places Apple lists for adding a license or state ID to Wallet, with more promised:
- Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado
- Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa
- Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota
- Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia
- Puerto Rico
Residents there need an iPhone 8 or newer (or an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer) on current software, Face ID or Touch ID, two-factor authentication and a United States device region. You scan both sides of the card and take a selfie, and the state, not Apple, approves it. We covered how the rollout began in our guide to digital driver’s licenses.
The workaround: a passport-based Digital ID
Here is the part many Florida readers miss. Apple’s Digital ID is built from a U.S. passport, not a state license, so it does not depend on Tallahassee at all. It is the closest thing to a Florida digital drivers license you can get right now, at least for the airport.
- What you need: a valid, unexpired U.S. passport and an iPhone 11 or newer running iOS 26.1 at minimum. Apple Watch Series 6 and newer models also work once they have watchOS 26.1 installed.
- Where it works: select TSA checkpoints, for proving who you are on flights inside the U.S.
- Where it does not: it cannot stand in for your passport on international trips or at a border.
It will not help at a traffic stop, but for a domestic flight out of Tampa it can save you digging through a bag.
What a phone ID can and cannot replace
Even if a Florida digital drivers license arrives one day, it would sit beside your card, not replace it. Apple says IDs in Wallet work at eligible airports and TSA checkpoints, select businesses and some apps. Police may still ask for the physical card. Look for mobile ID signs at the checkpoint, since not every lane accepts it.
For other cards worth adding to your phone, see our walkthrough on adding Bee Card to Apple Wallet.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida allow a digital driver’s license?
Not right now. There is no Florida digital drivers license today; the state ended its earlier digital ID in 2024, and the governor opposes the idea.
Can I add my Florida license to Apple Wallet?
No. Florida is not on Apple’s list of participating states, so the option will not appear when you choose a state in Wallet.
Does an Apple Wallet ID replace my physical card?
No. Apple treats the phone version as an extra, so carry the card too, since police and others may still ask to see it.
What Florida iPhone owners should do for now
If you fly often and hold a valid passport, set up the passport-based Digital ID and stop waiting on a Florida digital drivers license that the state has no plans to issue. Everyone else can skip this and keep the plastic card in the usual pocket. Florida has made its choice for now, and your iPhone will not change its mind.
