Major driver's licence change for 'hundreds of thousands' of Aussie drivers from today

Up to 800,000 learner and provisional drivers will soon have electronic access to their licence from Tuesday in one state's bid to make "it easier for them to go about their lives".

In Victoria from today (Tuesday), hundreds and thousands of L and P-platers will be able to access their licences digitally, joining the 1.2 million motorists in the state who already have the capability, which launched in May of this year.

The state government said while digital licences are optional, feedback from the public has been overwhelmingly positive and it expects hundreds of thousands of sign-ups in the coming days.

The newly digitalised document has a "highly secure, timed QR code" that can be scanned by businesses and other authorities to verify authenticity and prevent fraudulent use. Digital licences also detail when a licence has been cancelled or suspended, the government said in a statement.

A Department of Government Services spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia it will continue to expand the services and features offered through the app, including adding more cards to the digital wallet in time. They said more than half of all Victorians have the Service Victoria app installed on their phone as it stands.

Digitalised licences aimed at simplifying life for learner drivers

Victoria Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne said the initiative aims to simplify life for young and learning drivers in the state. "Whether that’s driving around, going to a gig, or collecting a parcel," she said.

"We’ve seen more than 1.2 million Victorians access their licence on their phones since we launched this technology in May, and I’m sure we’ll continue to see a strong take up from our younger drivers."

The licences can also be updated in real-time if there are changes to conditions or personal information such as home addresses.

The state government is working with venues to ensure licences are compatible with major scanning technology — "increasing ease" of use for both customers and venues across Victoria.

Drivers looking to sign up for the program have been told to visit the VicRoads or Service Victoria websites to find out more.

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Victoria unveiled digital licences for fully licensed drivers earlier this year, following successful launches from governments in most other states and territories.

The move — which followed several other states including NSW, Queensland and South Australia — comes in the wake of a six-month trial in which 15,000 Ballarat residents downloaded their licences to the Service Victoria or myVicRoads app.

There are more than 4.5 million fully licensed drivers in the state that are eligible.

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