California one step closer to making digital driver's license a reality

California is moving a step closer to making something people have been asking for a reality.

A new app will allow you to create a digital driver's license and the DMV is hoping 1.5 million Californians will help them test it.  

“Over time we will see that this becomes a much more reliable piece of authentication,” said Steve Gordon, director of the California DMV.

Right now, the digital licenses are limited, they're accepted at some airport TSA checkpoints.

A handful of grocery stores are also allowing you to use it to verify your age. But for now, that’s it. 

“For the foreseeable future a physical license is still required. If you get pulled over by law enforcement, we're working with law enforcement about how they could consume a digital credential but today they can’t,”Gordon said.

Those that want to join will have to download the California DMV wallet from their phone’s app store. 

Then, they’ll have to take a picture of the front and back of their actual license or ID, along with a selfie to verify it's them, and answer some questions. 

Some people say they’re not sure if they’re ready for a virtual option.

“I’m not comfortable to put anything in my phone,” said Sonia Schubert of San Jose. “You are more secure not doing that.”

Cyber security expert Ahmed Banafa also has questions about what kind of protection all this digital data will have.

“The future is digital, but it has to be a secure digital future,” he said. “My concern is what if it’s hacked, is that encryption, which is so solid that even if the [hackers] get it that they don’t know what to do with it.”

The DMV says its encryption follows federal standards, and the information is never shared with any third parties. 

Officials also say you can’t screenshot the images and the QR code the app generates expires after every scan.

They also say they don’t track when and where people use it. 

The state's DMV’s director argues it can even be safer in some situations than handing over a physical license. 

“So if you’re buying a car, instead of asking you for a driver’s license, which in some cases can be more easily replicated than a digital credential, so I think we’re going to see the market move to a safer credential like this,” said Gordon.

The DMV says that so far, roughly 100,000 Californians have signed up to use it.