NSW drivers can now renew their licence online

NSW drivers will no longer need to travel to a motor registry and wait in long queues to renew their licence following the state government's launch of a new online self-service option.

Eligible drivers can from today complete the process through the Service NSW portal, and print out an interim licence certification while waiting ten days for their new hard copy licence in the post. 

Licences renewed online can only be extended for a maximum five years. The service is not available to drivers who are on a restricted licence or who need a medical check. It also can't be used if the driver's licence photo needs updating.

NSW finance minister Dominic Perrottet forecast that some drivers may now only have to front up to a service counter once every ten years to update their photo and pass a sight test.

Perrottet said licence renewal fees will stay the same, whether the transaction is done online or in person.

“Since July 2013, the popularity of Service NSW’s online transactions has doubled every year, and with licence renewals now online too, we expect it will keep growing," he said in a statement.

“The important thing is that people have access to the options that suit them best, and that means offering first-class customer service through our Service NSW one-stop shops, while also making digital services available in the palm of your hand."

The announcement forms part of the state government's licencing-focused digital push, which is set to culminate in fully digital drivers licences by the end of 2018. The digital licence renewal option brings NSW up to speed with fellow states like Queensland and South Australia.