Govt rolls out acceptance of Digital Drivers' Licenses, but only for tourists

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Govt rolls out acceptance of Digital Drivers' Licenses, but only for tourists

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boosacnoodle

963 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3373015 14-May-2025 12:01

Mrcutiepatootie:

Apple and Google already allow driver licenses to be added to their respective wallets in the same states mentioned in the article if not more, why not just enable that?

I don't understand why you need an app to verify government-issued IDs when the literal two tech giants offer a native solution that's already government approved?

Because anyone can create a pass that looks authentic and present it to a verifier. How do you authenticate that the document is legitimate? That's what this does. It's roughly analogous to the tool used during Covid times to validate vaccine passes.

rb99

3422 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3373028 14-May-2025 12:41

networkn:

scuwp:

You may find a lenient officer who wont take any action if this is all you have, however as the law stands, it is crystal clear that you must carry your DL with you and produce it on demand, and they are well within their rights to issue you an infringement if you can't. A digital image can easily be manipulated.

I agree that is what the law says, but the DL is used for the police officer to be able to check it on their system. Physical cards can be manipulated too.

I'd agree an electronic ID, along with Electronic Car reg and warrant status should be well on it's way by 2025.

So no more sticking things in windows ? They did that in the UK, fines for out of date car tax went through the roof...

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

Mehrts

1063 posts

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Trusted

#3373124 14-May-2025 18:16

Any form of identification can be manipulated whether physical or digital. The way to get around this, is to compare whatever the ID document says against the database info for legitimacy.

This is why digital licences should exist, and this is also why we should get rid of the labels in everyones windscreens & make them digital too.

How many millions of plastic labels & documents would be saved from landfill every year if this was the case?

Goosey

2829 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3373127 14-May-2025 18:32

Mehrts:

Any form of identification can be manipulated whether physical or digital. The way to get around this, is to compare whatever the ID document says against the database info for legitimacy.

This is why digital licences should exist, and this is also why we should get rid of the labels in everyones windscreens & make them digital too.

How many millions of plastic labels & documents would be saved from landfill every year if this was the case?

but then that would slow down both the cops and parking wardens…. Quick glance is easier than a slow look up.

yad be complaining at the ques getting longer at checkpoints.

Goosey

2829 posts

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#3373134 14-May-2025 18:34

As it stands, most (probally all), liquor and tobacco retailers don’t accept photos of IDs.
seen plenty get turned away…..

networkn

Networkn
32350 posts

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#3373286 14-May-2025 21:06

Goosey:

As it stands, most (probally all), liquor and tobacco retailers don’t accept photos of IDs.
seen plenty get turned away…..

Of course and as it should be. Unlike police officers they have no way to verify the information being provided and digital is easier to manipulate.

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#3373402 15-May-2025 07:52

rb99:

So no more sticking things in windows ? They did that in the UK, fines for out of date car tax went through the roof...

Government has already signaled it's intention to remove RUC, licence (registration) and WoF labels (as well as move to a digital DL) - but only when a suitable digital replacement is widely available. Enforcement authorities and the wider public need to be able to access this information easily. Sadly when it comes to IT systems development the government moves at a glacial pace, oh, and we are also broke.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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rb99

3422 posts

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#3373570 15-May-2025 12:55

I may well be a Luddite, but I fall in the if it ain't broke, don't fix it camp. I'm also fairly sure a sticker in the window can't, for example, have a flat battery.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

weasel13

38 posts

Geek

#3374239 18-May-2025 08:27

scuwp:

You may find a lenient officer who wont take any action if this is all you have, however as the law stands, it is crystal clear that you must carry your DL with you and produce it on demand, and they are well within their rights to issue you an infringement if you can't. A digital image can easily be manipulated.

Whilst it's still the law, the Police have removed the ability for a fine to be issued for not having your drivers license on you. A court can still impose a fine technically but the chances of being taken to court and then fined would be 0.00001%

This is only a recent change.

cokemaster

Exited
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#3374249 18-May-2025 10:58

Mrcutiepatootie:

Apple and Google already allow driver licenses to be added to their respective wallets in the same states mentioned in the article if not more, why not just enable that?

I have a Queensland digital license and sadly its tethered to their 'Digital License' app (requires PIN/face ID to unlock). Would be ideal if it could go into the phones respective wallets.

On a different note:

I very rarely ever use my physical license now-days, the only times is usually ironically the 'digital self-identification' process that some Telcos require (eg. Optus or Vodafone/TPG) where they don't accept digital ID's.

My NZ drivers license expires soonish and its a high probability that I'm not going to renew it. The next time I'm in NZ, I'll be operating purely off a digital QLD license.

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