The New South Wales government has begun trialling a digital photo card in Penrith and surrounding suburbs ahead of a state-wide rollout of the technology on the Service NSW app.
Customer service minister Victor Dominello on Tuesday said many people have requested a digital photo card on the Service NSW app since the digital driver licence was made available across the state in 2019.
“With a digital photo card, as long as you have your phone, you always have your ID with you. It’s hassle free and only takes minutes to download,” he said.
More than 2.4 million licence holders in NSW — or 41% of drivers — currently have a digital driver licence, according to the state government. There are also more than 970,000 photo card holders in NSW.
Residents from the 2750, 2745, 2747, 2748, 2749, and 2773 postcodes can participate in the trial.
Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres has encouraged locals to participate in the pilot, which will test the functionality of the digital photo card before it is rolled out across the state.
“The trial will allow photo card holders in the trial area to use their mobile device to enter licensed venues and transact with other businesses who check ID, such as hotels, major retailers, telcos, convenience stores, tobacco retailers and pharmacies,” he said.
“The digital photo card is hosted securely on the Service NSW app, which is locked with a PIN.”
Digital photo card holders can quickly update their details using the Service NSW app, the government said, and the card will remain available offline so long as the holder remains logged into the app.
During COVID-19 the app was equipped with a check-in function to be used in hospitality venues and across the taxi industry to improve contact tracing in the state.
Read more: Digital licences: early adopters bank on obsolescence
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