This could be a momentous time for wallet thieves, as they may soon find nothing left in their pockets to take away. In the era of digital payments, the revolution of virtual cards is now added, in the sense that everything will move more and more quickly to our smartphone, now the safe of our lives.
In short, the news is that from today 50,000 people will have the opportunity to obtain a digital driving licence, and it is only the first important step towards the digitalisation of personal documents in Italy. The new document can be uploaded into the IT Wallet, the dematerialized wallet available on the IO app, together with other documents such as the health card and the European Disability Card.
This innovation will not be limited to just a test phase for a few users: from 6 November, in fact, the opportunity to have a driving license on your smartphone will be extended to another 250,000 people. And starting from December 4th, when the initial trial phase will be concluded, the service will be available to all those who want it. For the moment, for those who have already received the invitation via the IO app, the digital driving licence, together with the other documents uploaded, will immediately have legal value and can be shown to the police in the event of an inspection. However, when traveling abroad, it will still be necessary to present physical documents, as the possibility of using the digital driving license in European Union countries is scheduled for 2026.
The process for obtaining a digital driving license is simple: just download the IO app on your smartphone, log in using the Spid (Public Digital Identity System) or the Electronic Identity Card (CIE), and follow the instructions provided by the platform to generate the digital driving license. Once uploaded, it will be possible to consult and use the license directly from your phone. Obviously this applies to the iOS system (that of iPhones) and to Android.
The IT Wallet was established through Legislative Decree 19 of 2024, which provides how the digital wallet will integrate various documents and will be accessible via the IO app with the electronic identity card. It will be composed of a public portfolio and other portfolios made available by accredited private operators, which can be accessed not only with the CIE, but also with the SPID.
The digital driving license and the IT Wallet are part of the European regulatory plan for the creation of the digital identity wallet, known as EUDI (European Digital Identity).
And this system, which should be completed by 2026, will allow the use of digital documents in all EU countries: each member state will offer its own app, created according to common specifications, to allow citizens, residents and companies to manage their documents easily and securely. In short, for the definitive turning point, we still need to have patience. But the first step to defend our pockets and our purses has been taken.