Queensland digital license app: global blueprint for mDLs, or in need of replacing?

An Australian government official is calling for an app that would allow users to access government licences and permits in one place, in order to encourage digital ID uptake. A report from ABC news Australia says only about 20 percent of eligible drivers have signed up for Queensland’s digital license app, which was launched in November of 2023 with a $50 million (US$34M) price tag.

But in the matter of mobile driver’s licenses (mDL), success is a question of perspective. The QLD Digital License app, which allows Queenslanders to display their digital license on a mobile device, has been hailed as a major success and a “global blueprint” for mDL deployment – notably in a recent ABI Research report, entitled “Why the Queensland Digital License App Project Should Be Used as a Blueprint and Replicated in Other Countries.”

A new post from Thales, which supports the app through its Digital ID Services Platform, says the Queensland mDL app has seen an “exceptionally rapid adoption rate, outpacing other mobile identity initiatives globally” and achieving “substantial traction among Queensland drivers.”

Nonetheless, Customer Services Minister Steve Minnikin says he wants an app that accommodates a broader scope of government digital identity products, such as licences and permits, blue cards and government vouchers.

He tells ABC News, “you don’t need to have a separate app for that, and then you have a separate app for this. Just make it seamless, pleasurable and quick.”

Thales’ post notes that the Queensland mDL app, which is supported by development and operations from local partners Code Heroes and Aliva, can house marine licences and photo identification cards, and is exploring multi-credential integration to encompass more types of digital ID.

It also notes that one of the seven key strategies highlighted by ABI Research is “actively engaging and educating all stakeholders.”

Perhaps it’s time for a meeting between Thales and Steve Minnikin.

The discussion might also loop in the government of New South Wales, which Minnikin has noted offers a service that allows residents to access digital licences, deal with fines, manage their vehicle registration and access vouchers.

Article Topics

Australia  |  digital ID  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  mobile app  |  Queensland mDL  |  Thales Digital Identity and Security