Getting and keeping a concession card — Health Care Card, PCC and CSHC
Sorts the Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card and CSHC into cards issued automatically and cards you claim yourself, and sets out the process step by step, including the newly arrived resident's waiting period, renewal and reporting changes.
Overview — each card has a different route
Australia's concession and health care cards are issued by the Australian Government agency Services Australia (Centrelink). The cards are used for discounts on PBS medicines and for lower consultation fees when a doctor bulk bills, and state governments, local councils and businesses may also give cardholders their own separate discounts. This guide is about how to get, renew and report changes to a card, not about the benefits. For the benefits, see the guides on Energy Rebates & Concessions, Prescriptions, Pharmacies & PBS Medicine Costs, Dental & Optical Costs, and Public Transport.
Cards that arrive automatically and cards you claim yourself
The Health Care Card (HCC) and Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) arrive in the post without an application once you receive the relevant payment. The Low Income Health Care Card (LIHCC) and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) are claimed by you directly, separately from any payment. If you are eligible but an automatically issued card hasn't arrived, contact the Centrelink phone line for the payment you normally receive (the regular payment line). The CSHC is an Australian Government card and is different from the Seniors Card that state governments issue.
Cards you claim yourself — steps and what to prepare
The easiest way to claim the LIHCC and CSHC is through your Centrelink online account linked to myGov. For the LIHCC, choose Make a claim or view claim status, Make a claim, then Concession Cards, in that order; for the CSHC, choose Get started and then Apply for a Concession card under Concession Cards. If you can't do it online, claim the LIHCC through the Youth and students line (132 490) or at a service centre, and the CSHC through the older Australians line (132 300) or with the official claim form.
Before you claim — account, identity and documents
If you don't have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), you get one by verifying your identity when you create your myGov account. You can prove your identity with a Strong-level digital ID in the myID app, and if that can't be done online, you may need to be checked at a service centre with photo ID. Gather in advance the supporting documents you will need to answer the questions asked during the claim. For myGov and myID set-up, see the separate guide.
- Account — Centrelink linked to myGov (if you don't have a CRN, you get one by verifying your identity)
- Documents and information — evidence to answer the questions you are asked and, for the CSHC, your and your partner's Tax File Number (unless exempt)
- If you have a partner — for the LIHCC, each eligible partner claims separately; for the CSHC, if you claim together, both of you need a linked account
Both the LIHCC and the CSHC require that on the day you claim you live in Australia and are physically in Australia. If you are timing your claim around leaving Australia or coming back, check the official guidance first.
Check eligibility, waiting period and income limit
There are three things to check: the residence requirement, the newly arrived resident's waiting period (NARWP) and the income limit. The list of visas that meet the residence requirement differs by card. For the LIHCC, Australian citizenship, permanent visas and the Special Category visa (usually held by people who arrived on a New Zealand passport) are accepted, as are certain temporary visas: partner provisional (309 and 820) and temporary protection types. For the CSHC, it is Australian citizenship, permanent visas and the Special Category visa.
- Residence requirement — you must live in Australia and be in Australia on the day you claim, and keep living in Australia for as long as you hold the card
- Waiting period (LIHCC and CSHC) — up to 4 years if you were granted a permanent visa on or after 1 January 2019 (2 years for some visas), and up to 2 years if you were granted it before then; for the 309 and 820, the official guidance on the LIHCC waiting period differs (2 or 4 years), so call 132 490 to confirm
- Income limit — for the LIHCC, total income over the previous 8 weeks; for the CSHC, annual adjusted taxable income (including some deemed income); no assets test
Exemptions from the waiting period exist. Examples include Australian citizens, refugees and their families and, for the LIHCC, people who care for a child covered by Family Tax Benefit or whose circumstances have changed significantly since they arrived. The official guidance says to claim first and have your exemption confirmed.
The four concession cards at a glance
How you get each card, how long it is valid and how it is renewed all differ by card (checked November 2026). Special cards such as the Foster Child card and the Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) card, and DVA cards, are not covered.
The Health Care Card (HCC) is posted to you without an application if you receive certain payments such as JobSeeker Payment, or Family Tax Benefit Part A at the maximum rate. It is usually valid for 1 year.
The Low Income Health Care Card (LIHCC) is claimed directly, even without a payment, if you are 19 or over (if under 19, independent or covered by FTB) and your income is under the limit. It is valid for 12 months and is renewed each year after an income review.
The Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) is posted to you without an application if you receive a pension such as the Age Pension, if you are 55 or over and have received JobSeeker or similar for more than 9 months, or if you receive JobSeeker or similar with a partial capacity to work or as a single principal carer. It is valid for 2 years.
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is claimed directly if you are of Age Pension age, do not receive Centrelink or DVA income support and meet the income limit. It is valid for 2 years and is different from the state government Seniors Card.
Tips for keeping your card after you get it
There are still things to manage after you receive a card. If you find English difficult, you can speak with a bilingual staff member through the Centrelink multilingual phone service (131 202, weekdays 8am–5pm).
- Renewal differs by card. For the HCC, PCC and CSHC, a new card arrives if you remain eligible, while for the LIHCC you renew it yourself through myGov or a form after you receive a notice.
- Report changes within 14 days. The guidance is the same for all four cards and covers changes to your name, address, income, family, work and study. The reporting rules for any payment you receive apply as well.
- Check the rules before you leave Australia. If you leave to live in another country, your card is cancelled when you depart, and for short trips, how long your card stays valid differs by card.
- If you lose it, ask for a replacement. Apply through Request a document in your online account, by phone or at a service centre, where you can get a temporary card.
- Check the details shown on your card. You can ask for your address and your partner's details not to be printed on the card. For the PCC and CSHC, both the new laminated card and the older card are valid.
Common misunderstandings and mistakes
These are typical ways people miss out on a card or get the process wrong. Check the official guidance before you draw a conclusion.
- Giving up in advance because of the name of your visa — the LIHCC residence requirements also include partner provisional and temporary protection types of temporary visa. Check the official guidance.
- Putting off your claim because of the waiting period — exemptions exist, and the official guidance says to claim first. On the other hand, time spent outside Australia does not count towards the waiting period, so check that too.
- Believing that having the card means discounts are automatic — bulk billing is the doctor's decision, and state, council and business discounts differ from place to place. You may also need your Medicare card.
- Thinking your income is only looked at once, when you claim — the LIHCC is cancelled if your income in any 8-week period while you hold it goes over the holding limit (which is higher than the claim limit), and deemed income counts as income too.
- Not reporting a return to work, higher income or leaving Australia — this can lead to your card being stopped or to an overpayment. A card can sometimes continue after you return to work, so report it and check. Report even if the deadline has passed, and if a debt arises, see the guide on Responding to Centrelink Debts and Overpayments.
Useful official links
- Services Australia — Concession and health care cards(opens in a new window)
Eligibility and validity period for each card type, including the Health Care Card, PCC and CSHC (Services Australia)
- Services Australia — Low Income Health Care Card(opens in a new window)
Low Income Health Care Card eligibility, income and residence requirements, and how to claim and renew (Services Australia)
- Services Australia — Commonwealth Seniors Health Card(opens in a new window)
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card conditions, income limits and how to claim (Services Australia)
- Services Australia — Newly arrived resident's waiting period(opens in a new window)
How long the newly arrived resident's waiting period is, and the grounds for exemption (Services Australia)
- Services Australia — Phone us(opens in a new window)
List of Centrelink phone numbers and the multilingual phone service on 131 202 (Services Australia)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I claim a Low Income Health Care Card?▾
Open Centrelink in myGov and claim by choosing Make a claim or view claim status, Make a claim, Concession Cards in that order. You can also claim by phone (132 490) or at a service centre. Your total income before tax over the previous 8 weeks must be under the limit for your household type: $6,488 for a single person; $11,080 for a couple (combined) or a single parent with 1 child; $11,352 for a couple with 1 child; and $272 is added for each additional child (checked November 2026, may change).
Can I get a Health Care Card on a temporary visa?▾
The LIHCC residence requirements cover Australian citizens, permanent visa holders and Special Category visa holders and, among temporary visas, partner provisional (309 and 820) and temporary protection types. Student, working holiday and work visas are not on the list. For the 309 and 820, the waiting period is counted from whichever is later: the visa application date or the date you started living in Australia. A Health Care Card that comes with a payment follows that payment's residence requirements, so check whether it applies to you by calling 132 490 or another Centrelink line.
I've just been granted Permanent Residency (PR). Can I claim straight away?▾
The newly arrived resident's waiting period may apply. If you were granted your permanent visa on or after 1 January 2019, the wait is up to 4 years for both the LIHCC and the CSHC; if you were granted it before then, it is up to 2 years. For Orphan Relative and Remaining Relative visas, it is up to 2 years regardless of when the visa was granted. Only the days you were in Australia as a resident are counted, so time spent overseas is not included. There are grounds for exemption, such as for Australian citizens, and for refugees and their families, so lodge a claim anyway and have it checked (checked November 2026).
Do I apply separately for the Health Care Card and the PCC?▾
Usually you don't apply separately. Once you receive the relevant payment, Services Australia checks your eligibility and posts the card to you. A Health Care Card is usually valid for 1 year and a Pensioner Concession Card for 2 years, and if you remain eligible a new card arrives before the old one expires. If you are eligible but no card has arrived, contact the Centrelink phone line for the payment you normally receive.
What are the CSHC conditions and income limits?▾
You must be of Age Pension age, meet the residence, identity and Tax File Number requirements, and not receive an income support payment from Centrelink or DVA. Your annual adjusted taxable income (including deemed income from account-based pensions) must be under $105,048 for a single person, $168,076 for a couple, or $210,096 for a couple living apart because of illness, respite care or imprisonment, and $639.60 is added for each child (checked November 2026; reviewed for price indexation each year on 20 September). There is no assets test.
What happens to my card if my income or address changes, or if I leave Australia?▾
Report changes to your income, address, family or work within 14 days through My details in myGov or by phone (the guidance is the same for all four cards, checked November 2026), and the reporting rules for any payment you receive also apply. Changes to CSHC income and a return to work can't be reported online. If you leave to live in another country, your card is cancelled on the day you depart. For short trips, the limit is up to 6 weeks for the HCC, PCC and LIHCC (for the HCC and PCC, if your main payment continues) and up to 19 weeks for the CSHC. After that, if your LIHCC or CSHC has been cancelled, you claim it again once you return.
I've lost my card. Can I use a digital card instead?▾
Ask for a replacement through Request a document in your online account, by phone or at a service centre. A service centre can't hand you a new card on the spot; you get a temporary card, and the new card is posted to you. You can view a digital card in the Express Plus Centrelink app (More, Digital wallet) or the myGov app, but some providers don't accept it, so carry your physical card as well.