Can I get a photo ID without a driver licence?

It is possible in the four states this guide checked. In NSW, residents aged 16 or over can apply for a Photo Card without a licence. In QLD, people aged 15 or over can apply for a Photo identification card, which is handy if you have no licence or passport. VIC and SA issue the Proof of Age card. This guide simply has not checked WA, TAS, ACT and NT, so check each state government's website to see whether a similar card exists.

Can I apply on a temporary visa (student or working holiday)?

The official NSW, QLD, VIC and SA guidance this guide checked does not say whether you can apply by visa type, so this guide does not say either way. The identity document lists include an overseas passport (NSW and QLD; in SA, together with an Australian visa or visa grant notice) or passport and immigration papers (VIC). VIC also requires non-residents, international students, asylum seekers and refugees to provide copies of documents showing their eligibility to stay or study. Ask the issuing agency whether you can apply in your own case.

How much does a photo ID card cost?

As checked in November 2026, in NSW the fee is $68 for 5 years if you do not have a licence, or $122 for 10 years for eligible people aged 21 or over, and people such as Seniors Card holders and pension recipients may get it free. QLD is $82.70 and SA is $25. In VIC, the digital card is $10. Service Victoria guidance lists the physical card at $10, but Liquor Control Victoria guidance gives no amount, so check at the application point. Amounts may change.

How soon will I receive the card after I apply?

As checked in November 2026, NSW takes about 15 business days by post, QLD says it will be sent within 21 days, and a VIC physical card takes 20 to 25 business days after your application is lodged. In SA, a digital card appears in the app straight away and a physical card arrives by post within 3 weeks. If it is late, contact NSW on 13 22 13, or SA on 13 10 84 once 21 days have passed. In SA, you may have to pay a reissue fee if you do not get in touch within 30 days.

Can I apply if I hold a driver licence or have surrendered one?

NSW guidance says you can get a Photo Card without a licence and can also hold one alongside a licence. It sets different fees for applying together with a licence and applying separately, and says the first card is free under certain conditions if you stop driving and surrender your licence. In QLD, if the licence is valid or expired within the last 2 years, you can apply before surrendering your licence by using that licence as proof of identity, and if you surrendered it for medical reasons you may be eligible for a free card. In VIC and SA, a licence is mentioned in the application documents or online conditions.

What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?

In NSW, you replace it online or by visiting a centre, and the replacement fee is $18 (except for people eligible for a free card). In QLD, you replace it at a counter (guidance also mentions postal replacement for remote areas) for $37.40, but the fee may be waived if the card was lost or damaged because of theft or a crime by someone else. For a VIC physical card, you email Liquor Control Victoria within 3 months of receiving it to request a replacement ($25 according to Service Victoria guidance), and after that you apply for a new card. In SA, you apply for a new card.

Can I use this card anywhere, like a driver licence?

Whether it is accepted differs from one organisation to another. NSW guidance says the card can be used to confirm your identity in most places that accept a driver licence, but also says it cannot replace a licence for some online applications and similar purposes. VIC guidance presents the Proof of Age card as a way to show your age and identity at venues, shops, some medical facilities, and liquor and tobacco retailers. For banks, rental applications and similar, check that organisation's own guidance on accepted documents.

Australian Photo ID — NSW Photo Card, QLD Photo ID, VIC and SA Proof of Age - Townsville

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Photo ID without a driver licence — Photo Card and Proof of Age by state

State government photo ID cards for people in Australia without a driver licence. This guide sets out the card types, application ages, counters, costs and delivery times for NSW, QLD, VIC and SA, organised around the application process.

Overview — when you need photo ID but have no licence

In Australia, you may be asked for photo ID where your age needs to be checked, such as at places that sell alcohol, or at counters that need to confirm your identity. If you do not have a driver licence, you may not have a suitable photo ID to hand, but state governments also issue photo ID cards you can apply for without a licence. The cards this guide checked are the NSW Photo Card in NSW, the Photo identification card in QLD, and the Proof of Age card in VIC and SA. This guide has not checked WA, TAS, ACT and NT, so check each state government's website.

Card names and characteristics differ by state

The NSW Photo Card carries your name, address, date of birth and photo, and is described as usable to confirm your identity in most places where a driver licence is accepted. VIC guidance presents the Proof of Age card as a way to show your age and identity at venues, shops, some medical facilities, and liquor and tobacco retailers. QLD introduced the Photo identification card in April 2019 and stopped issuing the earlier adult proof of age card; cards issued before then are described as valid until the expiry date printed on the card. There is also a photo ID called Keypass, issued by Australia Post, but it is a separate product rather than a state government card. According to Australia Post, new physical cards are not issued after 30 June 2023 (cards already issued remain valid until their expiry date), and the digital Keypass ended on 1 May 2026. AUWith is also not affiliated with Australia Post.

Card names and application ages — a state-by-state comparison

In NSW, residents aged 16 or over can apply, and in QLD, people aged 15 or over can apply. In VIC, you can apply for a digital card from age 15 and a physical card from 17 years 11 months, and the physical card can be used only from age 18. SA is for people aged 17 years 11 months or over, and the card has no expiry. The issuing agency differs by state, so follow the application page of the state where you live.

What if you hold a driver licence?

NSW guidance explains that you can get a Photo Card without a licence and can also hold one at the same time as a licence. QLD guidance says you can apply for a Photo identification card by using your licence as proof of identity before you surrender it, if the licence is valid or expired within the last 2 years. VIC lists the driver licence among its identity documents. SA says that if you have a history of holding an SA licence or learner's permit you can apply online, and that if you already hold one you may not need to provide all your identity documents at the centre.

Card and age — start by checking the card name and minimum application age for the state where you live

Eligibility and documents — what to check before you apply

Each card has conditions on the state you live in, your age and your identity documents. The official guidance this guide checked does not say whether you can apply by visa type, so this guide does not say either way. The four states checked accept identity documents not by points but from a list set by the state (a List, Category and so on), so follow that list. For the 100-point system, which counts documents by points, see the 100 Points Proof of Identity guide.

Residence — the NSW card and the VIC digital card are for residents of that state; in QLD and SA you must show a residential address in that state in your documents
Number of identity documents — for a first application when you do not hold a licence or card from that state: NSW and VIC, 2 documents; SA, 3 or more; QLD, usually 3 (up to 5)

The cards in the 4 states checked

These are the four states whose official pages this guide checked directly. For WA, TAS, ACT and NT, check the card types and conditions on each state government's website. Amounts are as checked in November 2026 and may change.

NSW Photo Card

NSW residents aged 16 or over generally apply at a Service NSW centre, and some eligible people who cannot go because of a medical reason apply using a photo-kit form. Without a licence the fee is $68 for 5 years, or $122 for 10 years for eligible people aged 21 or over; people such as Seniors Card holders and pension recipients may get it free.

QLD Photo ID card

People aged 15 or over apply at transport service counters, QGAP offices or police stations that handle licensing, and residents of remote areas who cannot attend a counter may be eligible to apply by post. The fee is $82.70, the card is sent by post within 21 days, and it can be saved to the Service Queensland app.

VIC Proof of Age

The digital card is available through the Service Victoria app to people aged 15 or over, costs $10 and is valid for 5 years. You can apply for a physical card from 17 years 11 months and use it from age 18, and it takes 20 to 25 business days after your application is lodged. Check the physical card fee at the application point ($10 according to Service Victoria guidance).

SA Proof of Age

For people aged 17 years 11 months or over, $25, no expiry. If you have a history of holding an SA licence or learner's permit, you can apply online through mySAGOV; otherwise you generally visit a Service SA centre. The digital card appears in the app straight away, and the physical card arrives by post within 3 weeks.

Practical tips before and after you apply

To get your documents and counter visit done in one go, run through the checklist below before you apply. The card comes by post, so it is best to apply well before the date you need it.

Take your original identity documents when you apply at a counter. Guidance in all four states says copies are not accepted, but postal applications and VIC's documents showing your eligibility to stay have different rules.
Check that the name spelling is the same on every document. QLD, VIC and SA guidance require proof of a name change if the names differ, so see our guide on matching names on official documents.

Common misunderstandings and mistakes

These are misunderstandings that often come up before and after applying. Checking the official guidance once more can save you a wasted trip.

The misunderstanding that “it works everywhere like a licence” — NSW guidance says the card cannot replace a driver licence for some online applications and similar purposes. Banks, rental applications and online identity checks each accept different documents.
Trying to use a VIC physical card at 17 years 11 months — guidance says you can apply from that age, but use starts from age 18.

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