Yahoo Lifestyle State's latest driver licence change leaving millions of Aussies still waiting
Victoria announced Monday residents would formally be able to access their digital driver's licence, following SA, NSW and Queensland. But still not everyone.
Hundreds of thousands of Aussies have flocked to sign up for a digital driving licence as yet another state moves to give more options to motorists, leaving just a handful of jurisdictions in the country yet to adopt the change.
Victoria became the latest state to allow digital driver licences on Monday, years after NSW and South Australia while also hot on the heels of Queensland which rolled out its offering in late 2023. Meanwhile transport officials in the Northern Territory announced this week that work on digital licences had already begun, with a pilot set to commence late 2025.
That will just leave eligible drivers in the ACT, WA and Tasmania, where there are a combined 3.5 million residents yet to be able to access a digital licence. However it's understood talks have commenced in all three jurisdictions.
Hundreds of thousands flock to digital licences in Victoria
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for the Victorian Government revealed people across the state had signed up in droves since the program went live just three days ago.
“Around 200,000 Victorians have jumped on board and downloaded their digital licence on their phone within 48 hours of the state-wide launch," the spokesperson told Yahoo.
More than 4.5 million Victorians who are fully licensed drivers, motorcyclists, or heavy vehicle operators are the first people eligible to use the digital alternative, the spokesperson added. Eligible Victorians will be able to access it after setting up their profile via the myVicRoads and Service Victoria apps.
Learners and P-platers will be able to make the switch in 2025.
The digital licence will reflect in real-time whether it has been revoked or suspended and can be used as proof of identity. Police, businesses and other authorities will be able to verify its authenticity through a timed QR code.
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Consultation with organisations that rely on photo identification including bars, restaurants, retailers and police ramped up in April, ahead of the change.
Three remaining jurisdictions leaving millions idling
Meanwhile in NSW, government figures show 4.5 million people — making up almost 75 per cent of drivers — are now using a digital licence via the Service NSW app. The state rolled out the initiative in 2019 after South Australia, who led the country in 2017 when it was first to launch the scheme.
Queensland formally rolled out digital licences in October last year.
A spokesperson from the Tasmanian Department of State Growth said this week it was exploring the option for digital licences, but it may be some time until that becomes a reality.
In April, WA authorities announced a 16-month contract was awarded to Perth-based software developers GenVis to develop a digital licence for residents. While calls are mounting in the ACT, no immediate plans have been made public.
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