Identity documents of Australia

Australia does not have an identity card. Instead, various identity documents are used or required to prove a person's identity, whether for government or commercial purposes such as:

Currently, driver licences are issued by the states and territories and are the most widely used personal identification document. Driver licences list a person's full name, date of birth, current address and contains a photograph. It can commonly be used for personal identification for various purposes such as obtaining various government permits and documentation (for example, passport or tax file number) as well as for opening bank accounts or applying for credit cards.

For people who do not drive, the road authorities will issue a "Photo Card", also called "Proof of Age Card". In all states and territories, the Photo Card can be issued to people who have a driver's licence as another type of identity.

The Driver's licence or Photo Card is the de facto identity card in Australia.

Other important identity documents include a passport, an official birth certificate, an official marriage certificate, cards issued by government agencies (typically Medicare card), some cards issued by commercial organisations (e.g., a debit or credit card), and utility accounts. Often, some combination of identity documents is required, such as an identity document linking a name, photograph and signature (typically photo-ID in the form of a driver licence or passport), evidence of operating in the community, and evidence of a current residential address.

Proof of citizenship or right to work status on a visa may be required in some cases, such as when applying for a job. In these cases separate photo identity may also be required.

There is no consistent standard for verifying identity. For most purposes, an Australian drivers licence or Australian photo card will suffice, however for more sophisticated transactions (e.g. applying for a passport or opening a bank account), each institution tends to have its own rules.

Some examples of identity documents are:

The highest category of identity documents that often act as primary validation of identity:

Generally used to enhance an identity check along with primary documents, or used for specific purposes:

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