NSW govt kicks off digital photo card trial

Photo card holders living in and around the Sydney suburb of Penrith will be the first to trial NSW's new digital photo card ahead of a future state-wide rollout.

Customer service minister Victor Dominello kicked off the long-awaited trial of the digital pass on Tuesday following the successful rollout of the digital driver’s licence (DDL).

More than 2.4 million NSW motorists – or 41 percent of drivers – have now downloaded a DDL – significantly more than the government's initial estimate at its October 2019 launch.

Under the digital photo card trial, thousands of cardholders who live in eligible suburbs around Penrith will be able to download a digital alternative to their physical photo card.

Eligible postcodes are 2750 (including Penrith and Emu Plains), 2745 (including Glenmore Park and Mulgoa), 2747 (including Kingswood and Werrington), 2748 and 2773.

Testers will be able to use the digital pass to enter licensed venues, as well as at hotels, major retailers, convenience stores and pharmacies, in the 2750 trial area from today.

“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,” Dominello said.

Like the digital driver’s licence, the digital photo card will be available through the Service NSW app, which has now been downloaded more than three million times.

Downloads of the app have been propelled in recent weeks by the government’s Service NSW QR code check-in requirements at hospitality venues and other businesses.

According to the government, more than 32 million Covid safe check-ins had been registered through the app, as at January 15.

Penrith member Stuart Ayres, who doubles as the state's jobs and investment minister, said the trial will test the functionality of the digital photo card before a state-wide rollout.

More than 970,000 individuals currently hold a photo card across the state.

“The digital photo card is hosted securely on the Service NSW app, which is locked with a PIN. I encourage Penrith residents to give it a go and let us know what you think,” he said.

Digital photo cards were originally slated to become available to citizens alongside boat driver and recreational fishing licences in 2017, well before the launch of the DDL in 2019.