Western Australia to go live with digital driver’s licenses in 2027

Western Australia is getting a digital driver’s license and digital ID – the last of Australia’s states to offer one. An announcement from the state government says the 2026-27 budget allocates $28.2 million (about US$20 million) from the Digital Capability Fund to deliver a digital driver’s licence and state digital identity.

The mobile driver’s license (mDL) is expected to go live in 2027, and will be supported by the ServiceWA digital wallet. Through selective disclosure, it will allow holders to share only the minimum relevant data for a transaction, like proof of age or license status.

All of this is in keeping with the evolution of digital identity and digital credential ecosystems globally, and elsewhere in Australia. The goal is to simplify identity and increase digital access to public services. Digital credentials can be more easily revoked and replaced than physical cards. And governments are either determined or mandated to offer their own wallets to house mDLs and other digital IDs.

“These changes are designed around how people live and work today,” says Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson. “Having key credentials available digitally means less paperwork, fewer delays, and greater convenience for individuals, employers and organizations who rely on them every day.”

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti says since most Western Australians carry their phone every day, “we’re making it easier to carry your driver’s licence with you too.”

“It’s another measure to make life easier for Western Australians and builds on our recent SmartRider upgrades that allow passengers to tag on and off with their phones,” Saffioti says, referring to the contactless electronic ticketing system for the state’s Public Transport Authority.

New South Wales, in eastern Australia, has offered mDLs since 2019. Queensland, South Australia and Victoria all have schemes, and the Northern Territory and Tasmania have both announced funding and plans to launch a digital licence in 2026. This year, some 90 percent of Australia’s population will have access to digital drivers licenses.

Western Australia had been the last holdout, and will now join the rest of the country in adopting mDLs.

Article Topics

Australia  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  identity document  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)