The digital driver's license isn't what I hoped for

I know some people have problems with digital IDs, but I personally think they're very convenient in theory and choose to use them eyes open to why others choose not to. My car can use my phone as a key, everywhere I shop accepts contactless payments, and the only reason I needed to carry a wallet with me day to day was my driver's license. This is why I was so excited to hear that my home state was rolling out support for digital driver's licenses in 2025. It didn't happen until November, but it did and I set it up immediately. It only took a few minutes and went smoothly, and I was ready to embrace my wallet-free life.

Well, until reality set in…

See, I did drive a few places without my wallet, and felt free! I was a bit worried that if I was stopped, the cop would not know what to do with it since it was just released. I haven't been pulled over in well over a decade, but it was still on my mind. But okay, that's fine, it'll sort itself over time.

But then I bought some Draino and needed to prove my age. I can't flash my digital ID to the cashier and they certainly don't have an NFC reader for me to tap and prove my age.

And then I went to Best Buy to pick up an online order, and they needed to see a photo ID to validate I was who I said I was. The digital ID has no photo, and again, they don't have hardware for me to tap my phone.

So here I am, a few weeks after I got the digital driver's license I wanted, and I'm still carrying my physical wallet around with me when I leave the house. Bummer.