DMV Wallet Goes Live: Easier Verification, Stronger Fraud Protection
After a successful pilot launch on October 31, the California DMV Wallet project went into full production on November 14. This marks a major step forward in secure, digital identity verification for students, offering college staff the ability to test mobile driver’s license (mDL) verification. Students can securely verify their identity using a California driver’s license, including AB 60 licenses. Support for CA DMV ID Cards is coming soon!
Benefits for colleges:
- Streamlines onboarding and reduces manual identity checks.
- Frees staff to focus on students needing extra support.
- Strengthens fraud protection by leveraging trusted, verified identity information compliant with NIST IAL2 requirements.
- A June 2025 announcement from the Federal Student Aid Office recognized student identity verification, “by an entity that is compliant with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Identity Assurance Level 2 (NIST IAL2).”
Benefits for students:
- Provides a secure, mobile-first way to confirm identity.
- California’s mDL is one of 21 federally approved digital identities and is accepted at TSA checkpoints for air travel.
Getting started:
- Students log in or create an OpenCCC account and select the
Verify with CA DMV Wallet option on the “Verify Your Identity” page.- A DMV-generated QR code is displayed to help them get started with the DMV Wallet verification process.
- Students open the CA DMV Wallet app with mDL on their mobile device and select Scan Website QR Code to scan the QR code with the app’s code scanner.
- Important!! Students must have the DMV Wallet app installed and configured with the student’s mDL. The DMV-generated QR code will not work unless scanned with the DMV Wallet app using the student’s mDL.
- If students don’t already have the DMV Wallet app with mDL, they can use the links shown under the displayed QR code to download the DMV Wallet app for their device. They can then set up their mDL and scan the displayed QR code to verify their identity.
- When students add a photo of their driver’s license to their DMV Wallet account to create their mDL, it may take a few tries before the DMV Wallet accepts the photo.
- Students using their mobile device to apply may need to take a screenshot of the DMV-generated QR code and save it to their photos in order to complete their verification.
- Once the DVM identity verification is complete, the student’s OpenCCC profile will show a “Verified” status. For more information, see: Verifying Identity with the CA DMV Wallet
Developed through a collaboration between the CCC Technology Center and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the DMV Wallet project demonstrates how technology can simplify access while strengthening security.
Support: Questions? Contact staffsupportccctc@openccc.zendesk.com