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Motoring
Should I keep my physical driver licence as well?
Can I use my digital driver licence overseas?
My digital driver licence isn't working. What do I do?
Victorian digital driver licence: what you need to know
Digital driver licences are now available on your smartphone for all Victorian full licence holders. Here’s everything you need to know about the roll-out.
Victoria’s 4.5 million fully licenced drivers, motorcyclists and heavy vehicle operators can now access their driver licence on their smartphones. It will act as an easy-to-use ID and a secure way to provide your licence status.
The Victorian digital driver licence follows a successful trial in Ballarat and will become available to P-platers and learner drivers by 2025.
Digital driver licences: what you need to know
What is a digital driver licence?
The digital driver licence is a digital copy of your physical Victorian driver licence that you can use on your smartphone.
Digital driver licences are optional. Physical licences will continue to be issued to all Victorian drivers for the foreseeable future and can continue to be used as normal.
What are the benefits of a digital driver licence?
You can use your digital driver licence to:
- prove your right to drive (note that heavy vehicle operators and drivers aged under 26 are still required to carry their physical licence when driving)
- prove that you’re 18 or over at licensed venues
- provide your identity where businesses require (such as hotels or retailers).
Your digital driver licence can be updated in real-time if there are changes to your licence conditions or to your personal information, such as your home address.
The licence shows when the app last pulled your details from the Victorian Licensing Registry, so you can be sure that your information is current.
How do I get my digital driver licence?
To get your digital driver licence, download either the myVicRoads or Service Victoria app on your smartphone. Create an account and log in.
You will automatically receive your digital driver licence once it’s processed and will be alerted by email or push notification.
How do I display my digital driver licence when asked?
To use your digital driver licence, select which screen you would like to display: your age, identity, or driver licence. Pull down on your screen to refresh. You can then show the checker your hologram and/or QR code.
Are digital driver licences secure?
Digital driver licences could be even more secure than your physical driver licence. Since it can only be accessed via a PIN or biometric authentication, it is much harder for thieves to steal and use for fraud identity theft.
A timed QR code allow businesses and authorities to quickly and easily verify authenticity and prevent fraudulent use.
When it comes to privacy, you can control what you share. There are three levels of personal information that you can choose to display:
- Full Licence – shows information about your right to drive, such as your licence status, classes and restrictions
- Identity – displays your basic identification information: your name and address
- Proof of age – confirms that you're 18 or over without displaying your exact age or date or birth.
There are three levels of personal information you can display, including proof of age.
Should I keep my physical driver licence as well?
You should keep your physical driver licence, regardless of whether you decide to use a digital driver licence or not.
Digital licences currently need internet access to work. If there’s no internet connection available, you will need to show your physical licence instead.
The physical card is handy as a back-up if you have poor reception or a technical problems.
Some businesses also require the State Government to provide a secure way of sharing a copy of the digital driver licence before they can use the technology. Right now, there's no way for you to share a copy of your digital licence (e.g. email, pdf or print).
Can I use my digital driver licence overseas?
You will still need to provide your physical driver licence for International Driving Permits as required.
My digital driver licence isn't working. What do I do?
If the myVicRoads or Service Victoria app isn't working, check that your smartphone's operating system (OS) is fully updated and try again.
An error will appear on the digital driver licence screen if you or the person checking your licence has trouble connecting to the internet. In this case, you will need to use your physical licence instead.
An error may also appear if your licence is expired, suspended or cancelled.
Note that you can't yet add the digital driver licence to Apple Wallet.
What was the digital driver licence trial?
The Victorian Government ran a trial of the digital driver licence in Ballarat in the six months from July-December 2023.
In Ballarat, 15,000 residents downloaded their licence via the Service Victoria or myVicRoads apps so that the relevant governing bodies could assess the service’s accessibility and security of personal information.
The trial followed South Australia’s roll-out of the technology in October 2017. New South Wales has also adopted digital driver licences since 2019, and Queensland since late 2023.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions, please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
