Smartphones have become the Swiss Army knives of technology—from carrying everything from our calendars to our wallets, it's no surprise that digital driver licences are the next step in the evolution of convenience.

However, not all Australians are reaping the benefits of this modern marvel just yet.

As the latest updates roll out, millions are still in a waiting game, questioning when they can leave their physical cards at home.

Victoria recently joined the digital driver licence program on Monday, 13 May, with the program going live on Wednesday.

According to the spokesperson for the Victorian Government, ‘Around 200,000 Victorians have jumped on board and downloaded their digital licence on their phone within 48 hours of the state-wide launch.’

Victoria is the latest state to release digital driver licence. Credit: Shutterstock

The Victorian Government also expressed excitement over the public's enthusiastic response, highlighting the readiness of over 4.5 million fully licensed drivers, motorcyclists, and heavy vehicle operators to embrace this change.

Eligible Victorians can access their digital driver licence after setting up their profile using the myVicRoads and Service Victoria apps.

Learners and P-platers will be able to transition to the digital alternative starting in 2025.

The digital license isn't just a static image of your physical card; it's a dynamic, real-time reflection of your driving status.

If your license is revoked or suspended, this will be immediately updated in the digital version.

The convenience extends to proof of identity, with police, businesses, and other authorities able to verify its authenticity through a timed QR code.

While Victoria celebrates this technological leap, the Northern Territory is gearing up for a pilot program set to commence in late 2025.

This leaves residents in the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, and Tasmania in anticipation as they have yet to access digital licenses.

In NSW, the uptake of digital licenses is impressive, with 4.5 million people—nearly 75 per cent of drivers—using the digital option via the Service NSW app.

South Australia, the pioneer in this initiative, launched its digital license scheme in 2017, setting a precedent for other states.

Queensland, not far behind, rolled out its digital licenses in October of the previous year, marking another step forward in the nationwide adoption of the technology.

However, the path to digitalisation is not without its bumps.

Tasmania is still exploring the option, with no clear timeline in sight.

WA has made progress by awarding a 16-month contract to local software developers GenVis to create a digital license system.

In the ACT, despite mounting calls for digital licenses, there are no immediate plans to unveil the technology.

Key Takeaways

• Victoria has introduced digital driver licences, with hundreds of thousands of residents downloading it within 48 hours of the launch.
• The Northern Territory is set to pilot digital licences in late 2025, leaving the ACT, WA, and Tasmania as the jurisdictions without the digital option currently.
• The digital licence will show real-time status updates and can be used as proof of identity, with its authenticity verifiable by a timed QR code.
• Efforts are underway in the remaining regions without digital licences to explore the option, but for some areas, it may be some time before they are available.

What are your thoughts on the digital driver license rollout? Have you made the switch, or are you still waiting? Share your experiences and concerns with us in the comments below.

 

[mylittletibbies]

More likely to have be an Australienne; Chinese people tend to value education.

Yes, you're right, she was Aussie.Dumb as.

 

[Rob44]

Who said digital? This is the only digit you need is this!

View attachment 48776

I remember hitting the roof when son's school book list said "calculators". I said he should use his God given brain for maths. This was 50 years ago when he went into first year High School. Things have got worse and only people our age seem to be the only one's who can use their brain. Any wonder why they say AI..... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Anything artificial is not real so is BS. The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.

I remember hitting the roof when son's school book list said "calculators". I said he should use his God given brain for maths. This was 50 years ago when he went into first year High School. Things have got worse and only people our age seem to be the only one's who can use their brain. Any wonder why they say AI..... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Anything artificial is not real so is BS. The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.

My son is most likely to be more intelligent than I; BUT he cannot do sums in his head as fast as I. He reaches for his mobile phone, types in the sum, and I have already given him the answer even if it is an approximation+\-10. As for fractions; what's that dad? Oh, 3/4=0.75, now my calculator can tell me what 3/4x3/4 comes to. Well, kid, I make it 9/16ths or close to 1/2 an inch (will 12mm do?).

He uses his excellent brain excellently, but to do simple sums with numbers.........I got into trouble with his school for not buying him a $50 maths calculator when he was about 8 years old. At eight years of age I knew my "tables' to the 12 times table, and at that age worked out from first principles just why 8x12=96. I could think in 1/4s, 1/2s, 12s , 20s, 24s, 30s, 60s and 21s (British currency from age 6, as could most kids of the day), and in the non-metric British units of weights and measures by age 8 .

We did not have calculators, and it was questionable whether I could take a slide rule into my O-level exams. We were expected to know our way round our book of trigonometric and logarithmic tables. The first "computers" were the blokes who worked out logarithms for the future log tables.

 

[Barbara V]

Think I have enough junk on my phone I never use,not interested in anymore.Think it might be laziness like when they started paperless bills. If you still wanted bills through the post they charged you for that too

 

[Mark@Home]

I'm so sick of everything digital, what's the use of you still need a physical card for when the internet goes down etc.
Society is getting dumber and dumber as they rely on technology and machines, calculators etc to think for them.

100% spot on!

 

[marni]

I thought your licence only has to be shown to police - at least that was the idea originally. Now everyone can ask for it. In NSW every club asks to scan it and we now know that was not secure with our local club being hacked. The fact that Australians said no to the Australia Card did nothing. We just ended up with the ATO file number now knowing everything about us

 

[Barbara V]

I just pick up my wallet, keys and go.Why the devil should I have to pick up a mobile phone aswell, not that I have one.

As for, "The digital license isn't just a static image of your physical card; it's a dynamic, real-time reflection of your driving status.'. Like wow and far out, man; that's sooooo coooooooool! Or a crock of s*** by a Public Relations blatherskiter.

Come to think of it, I have never owned a Swiss Army knife.............

Ah ! still have my Swiss army knife keep it in my car

 

[IAN3005]

I remember hitting the roof when son's school book list said "calculators". I said he should use his God given brain for maths. This was 50 years ago when he went into first year High School. Things have got worse and only people our age seem to be the only one's who can use their brain. Any wonder why they say AI..... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Anything artificial is not real so is BS. The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.

The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.
Soon humans too....

 

[IAN3005]

Ah ! still have my Swiss army knife keep it in my car

Ooooo better watch out if the police stop you... carrying a dangerous weapon... they have taken our guns way from us (thanks to little Johnny Howard) next is knives.... Ha ha ha

 

[Veggiepatch]

My son is most likely to be more intelligent than I; BUT he cannot do sums in his head as fast as I. He reaches for his mobile phone, types in the sum, and I have already given him the answer even if it is an approximation+\-10. As for fractions; what's that dad? Oh, 3/4=0.75, now my calculator can tell me what 3/4x3/4 comes to. Well, kid, I make it 9/16ths or close to 1/2 an inch (will 12mm do?).

He uses his excellent brain excellently, but to do simple sums with numbers.........I got into trouble with his school for not buying him a $50 maths calculator when he was about 8 years old. At eight years of age I knew my "tables' to the 12 times table, and at that age worked out from first principles just why 8x12=96. I could think in 1/4s, 1/2s, 12s , 20s, 24s, 30s, 60s and 21s (British currency from age 6, as could most kids of the day), and in the non-metric British units of weights and measures by age 8 .

We did not have calculators, and it was questionable whether I could take a slide rule into my O-level exams. We were expected to know our way round our book of trigonometric and logarithmic tables. The first "computers" were the blokes who worked out logarithms for the future log tables.

The old slide rule comes to mind....

 

[IAN3005]

I refuse to scan anything.. i never take my phone out with me.... stays at home like a good little phone.... that way the can't track me....

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

Digital or plastic licence, who cares, it's no biggy for me.

I enjoy, what I think for me is, the best of both worlds.
Love the challenges and conveniences that come with technology advances. BTW, I'm not a lazy person by any stretch.

Love teaching my Grandchildren the short cuts involved in mental maths.
Love keeping up the tech aspects of the Grandkids world and showing them safer ways to use it.

Love using cash, love using the so-called credit card to use the banks funds for my own purposes for 55 days and clearing it before interest can be charged and getting award points to boot. Current award points allows for eg a $750 Coles voucher for no $ outlay by me. Gotta love that.

Love online shopping, love entering brick and mortar shops.

On-line Coles shopping lets me do a couple of things;
1. unit costs are displayed right in your face.
2. Allows me more time to get on with physical house projects.

Been into AI for a while now (the intelligence one, not the arm deep in a cow job one) found the one, that my cross checking and testing questions with own knowledge, that serves me best. Found it of enormous help with all manner of issues, from health to helping me write a poem to my wife. Amazing response to the background I put to it.

The most beneficial thing for me is the time its saves me. Very precious thing time.
Using the digital world to ones own advantage can be incredibly beneficial.

So I must admit to being a little confused with some responses. But it's just because people are different and there's nothing wrong with being different.

 

[IAN3005]

Digital or plastic licence, who cares, it's no biggy for me.

I enjoy, what I think for me is, the best of both worlds.
Love the challenges and conveniences that come with technology advances. BTW, I'm not a lazy person by any stretch.

Love teaching my Grandchildren the short cuts involved in mental maths.
Love keeping up the tech aspects of the Grandkids world and showing them safer ways to use it.

Love using cash, love using the so-called credit card to use the banks funds for my own purposes for 55 days and clearing it before interest can be charged and getting award points to boot. Current award points allows for eg a $750 Coles voucher for no $ outlay by me. Gotta love that.

Love online shopping, love entering brick and mortar shops.

On-line Coles shopping lets me do a couple of things;
1. unit costs are displayed right in your face.
2. Allows me more time to get on with physical house projects.

Been into AI for a while now (the intelligence one, not the arm deep in a cow job one) found the one, that my cross checking and testing questions with own knowledge, that serves me best. Found it of enormous help with all manner of issues, from health to helping me write a poem to my wife. Amazing response to the background I put to it.

The most beneficial thing for me is the time its saves me. Very precious thing time.
Using the digital world to ones own advantage can be incredibly beneficial.

So I must admit to being a little confused with some responses. But it's just because people are different and there's nothing wrong with being different.

Good thinking #99... except for the Coles aspect....

 

[Old timer]

Oh I agree - well I am not getting it - don't own a smart phone and not going to - too many issues around smart phones for us and we don't live our lives on the damn things!

Same here, world has gone mad.

 

[Old timer]

no good to me I'm too deaf. Landline suits me well.

Landline is much more reliable, most times when I ring a mobile I get not available at the moment please leave a message and two minutes later they ring back drives me nuts.

 

[Knell]

More likely to have be an Australienne; Chinese people tend to value education.

LOL - Oh, now what are you saying? ...and your comment is based on what? Or are you just being supercilious?

 

[Pommyoz]

they're so intelligent these days with their AI

A*** Intelligence

 

[margaretritchie48@hotmail]

I remember hitting the roof when son's school book list said "calculators". I said he should use his God given brain for maths. This was 50 years ago when he went into first year High School. Things have got worse and only people our age seem to be the only one's who can use their brain. Any wonder why they say AI..... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Anything artificial is not real so is BS. The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.

I agree. My son is now 57 and I remember him coming home from school with the same thing. I rang the school and they told me if he did not have one he would be left behind in the class. My mum is 100 and a few years ago she told her great grandson she did not know how to use a calculator. His reply. "That's because you have a brain, Grandma".

 

[freedy50]

Anything digital is always good and quicker. Had my NSW license on my phone for 5 years now. Signing in to an RSL with it the other day was very quick and my wife was still looking for her physical card

Also got my debit card, Seniors Card and supermarket rewards cards on there. All very convenient instead of looking through my wallet for them every time I need them.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

Hey freedy50, are your Seniors card and fly-buys card on phone just via a photo you've taken? It's a good idea. I was fumbling away the other day trying to find the card. Love my wallet, gift from the kids, but tricky to find when needed fairly quickly.

 

[Vio Kot]

I remember hitting the roof when son's school book list said "calculators". I said he should use his God given brain for maths. This was 50 years ago when he went into first year High School. Things have got worse and only people our age seem to be the only one's who can use their brain. Any wonder why they say AI..... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Anything artificial is not real so is BS. The only useful AI is used on animals to impregnate them.