Queenslanders will be able to access their driver’s licence on their mobile phones from today, with the new technology to be rolled out statewide following regional trials.
Key points:
- Digital driver’s licences will be made available to all Queenslanders from today
- Despite launching the app, the state government is asking people not to download it yet as the technology is crashing
- Digital licences can be used for the same purposes as physical licences, such as gaining access to pubs and clubs
However, the state government is already warning of delays with the technology and has urged people to wait for the issue to be fixed before they download it.
The digital licence has the same legal status as a physical driver’s licence card, allowing Queenslanders to use it as an official form of identification.
The state government released the new Queensland Digital Licence app, where motorists can access the digital version of their driver’s licence.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the app had been through “rigorous” privacy and information security testing before its launch.
“Nothing is more important than the safety and security of your private information,” Mr Bailey said.
“We worked with our counterparts in other Australian states that have digital licences, to ensure we learnt from the way they developed and released their apps.
“Queensland’s Digital Licence app will set the standard for mobile driver licence apps across Australia and the world.”
‘Wait before downloading’
On Wednesday morning, the Department of Transport and Main Roads was warning of delays with the app.
About 5,800 people had already downloaded it overnight.
“Ahead of the planned launch of the Queensland Digital Licence, we conducted a larger-scale final test of the app,” the department said in a statement.
“We will be doing further testing to check to validate any changes that we make, and we will keep users informed.”
The department urged customers to be patient.
“Some customers have experienced delays and so we are asking you to wait before downloading. We will let you know when the issue is resolved,” the statement said.
Speaking on ABC Radio Brisbane, the department’s acting director-general Sally Stannard suggested users should even wait until later this week to download the app.
“We don’t want you to have to wait, so perhaps wait until tomorrow [or] try again a bit later in the week. We will continue to work at our end.”
In a statement, opposition transport spokesman Steve Minnikin accused Mr Bailey of botching the rollout.
“1,833 days after he first announced it, Minister Bailey still couldn’t get the rollout right,” he said.
“Queenslanders were first encouraged to download the digital licence app, and then hours later they were told not to download it.”
Mr Bailey said the opposition was “good at whingeing and whining”.
How can I get a digital licence?
Despite the new technology, Queenslanders will still need to renew their physical licence and identification cards when they expire and pay the same licence fees.
However, the app will mean they can leave the physical card at home and rely on the digital version of their licence as a form of official identification.
The digital licence can be used for the same purposes as a physical card, such as accessing pubs and clubs, or verifying identification when renting a car or picking up a parcel from the post office.
The app will be available for iPhone users from the Apple app store, while Android users can only access it on the Google app store.
Once the app is downloaded, users will have to create a Queensland Digital Identity, which requires verifying documentation such as the existing physical licence or a passport.
From there, users can access the digital licence through the app on their mobile device.
In addition to driver’s licences, the app can also store state government-issued photo identification cards and marine licences.
Ahead of the statewide rollout, the government piloted the technology in Townsville and on the Fraser Coast.
The government says the app is encrypted and will require the user to enter a six-digit code to access it.
Other states in Australia already have digital licences, including New South Wales and South Australia.
The state government passed laws in 2020 that paved the way for digital licences to be accepted as an official form of identification in the sunshine state.
