No threat to printed cards from digital NSW licences

More than 550,000 people have downloaded NSW’s new digital driver licence (DDL) – but the state government insists it will not replace printed cards.

Accessible via a smartphone app, the digital licence can be used for proof of identity, proof of age, and at roadside police checks. According to Victor Dominello, NSW Minister for Customer Service, it includes inbuilt security features to protect personal information.

“The DDL is hosted securely on the new Service NSW app, locks with a PIN and can be accessed offline. It will provide additional levels of security and protection against identity fraud, compared to the plastic driver licence,” he said.

According to a spokesperson, Service NSW produces all new driver licences, photo cards, and firearms licences at its central printing sites in the Central West and Hunter regions. There are no plans to phase out printed plastic licences.

“Customers are provided with an interim paper licence which is valid for 30 days. Licences are posted to customers and received in around 10 working days.

“Plastic driver licences will continue to be issued to all drivers. The Digital Driver Licence is all about convenience for the people who choose to use it,” the spokesperson said.

The digital licence has now rolled out statewide after trials in Dubbo, Albury, and Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The Service NSW app, which hosts the digital licence, experienced significant teething problems when rolled out last week, repeatedly crashing for users under heavy load.

Approximately 6.2 million people in NSW currently hold a driver's license.