Documents for a Learner Licence: Every Australian State

Photo: Roadrunnerz45, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Every Australian state and territory asks you to prove who you are, and usually where you live, before it issues your first learner licence. The rules are close but not the same: NSW can accept two documents, while Western Australia asks for five. This checklist is for first-time learners and their parents. It lists what each licensing agency accepts as of November 2026, what to do if you are under 18 with nothing in your own name, and where to get help if you have no birth certificate.

Key facts

Bring original documents in every state. Photocopies and certified copies are refused everywhere. The NT also refuses digital copies, including digital driver licences, and WA accepts only physical records.
Most states want three documents mixing two categories (QLD, SA, TAS, NT, ACT). Victoria wants one of each of two categories, NSW one from each of two lists, and WA five.
Between them, your documents usually need to show your full name, date of birth, signature and current address in that state.
Birth certificate extracts and commemorative certificates are not accepted (Victoria, WA, SA, TAS and the ACT say so directly).
Check the consent rules for your state and age: Western Australia, for example, uses a parent or guardian consent form (E20) for minimum-age exemptions. Otherwise parents matter mainly for proving a teenager’s identity or address (WA, the ACT and NSW).
Free help exists for people without documents: NSW’s Driver Licensing Access Program and DriveSafe NT.

Documents for a learner licence, state by state

State	What you need	Typical first-time combination
NSW	One List 1 + one List 2 document (or a current NSW Photo Card)	Birth certificate + Medicare card
VIC	One category A + one category B, plus proof of Victorian address if not shown	Passport + student ID + utility bill
QLD	3 documents: 1 category A + 2 category B, or 2 A + 1 B	Birth certificate + Medicare card + bank card
WA	5 documents in one of two set combinations (categories A to D)	Birth certificate + E41 declaration + 2 community documents + an address document
SA	3 documents: 1 primary + 2 secondary, or 2 primary + 1 secondary, plus an address document if needed	Passport + Medicare card + bank statement
TAS	3 documents: 1 category A + 2 category B, or 2 A + 1 B	Birth certificate + Medicare card + student ID
ACT	Category A (primary) + category B (secondary) proof of identity, plus proof of ACT residency	Passport + Medicare card + utility account
NT	3 documents: 1 category A + 2 category B, or 2 A + 1 B, including NT address	Birth certificate + 2 bills or statements

The typical combinations are examples only. Check each document against your state’s full list before you go.

NSW: List 1 and List 2

NSW accepts either a single stand-alone document (a current NSW driver licence or NSW Photo Card, or one that expired in the last 2 years) or two documents, one from each list. Most first-time learners use the two-document option.

List 1 (must show your full name and date of birth)

Australian full or integrated birth certificate showing parental details
Australian passport, current or expired within 2 years
Current overseas passport, or an overseas birth certificate with a passport or Australian travel document
Australian citizenship or naturalisation document
Current ImmiCard (or one expired up to 2 years), or a current DFAT travel document
Interstate driver licence, current or expired up to 2 years

List 2 (must show your family name and first given name in full)

Current Medicare card
Current photo student ID from an Australian secondary school, TAFE or university, or proof of enrolment up to 12 months old
Current bank card showing your name and signature, or a bank statement or letter up to 12 months old
Phone, gas or electricity bill, or a rates notice, up to 12 months old
Current interstate Proof of Age or Evidence of Age card, or a physical Keypass card

The names must match across both documents. Middle names shown as initials are fine if they are in the same order, but a first name shown only as an initial is not. One document should carry your signature. If neither does, bring a witness letter from someone such as your school principal, employer or parent. Documents not in English need an official translation from one of the providers Transport for NSW names, such as Multicultural NSW or the Department of Home Affairs’ Translating and Interpreting Service.

You also need to be 16, pass an eyesight test and pass the DKT. See the NSW Driver Knowledge Test and learning to drive in NSW.

Victoria: one category A and one category B

Before you sit the learner permit test, VicRoads needs proof of who you are and that you live in Victoria. Bring:

One category A document, for example a passport (current or expired by up to 2 years) or an Australian birth certificate (not an extract or commemorative certificate).
One category B document, for example a current Medicare card, a student identity card, a bank card, a Commonwealth entitlement card, or a phone, gas or electricity bill no more than 1 year old.
Evidence of Victorian residence if neither document shows your current address. If you have nothing, a referee who has known you for at least 12 months and holds a current Victorian licence can complete the Victorian residence declaration on your application form.
Evidence of a name change, such as a Change of Name certificate, if the names on your documents differ.

All names must match and be in the same order. Photocopies, certified or not, are refused. More: the VicRoads learner permit test.

Queensland: three originals

TMR asks for three original documents: one category A and two category B, or two category A and one category B.

Category A (legal name and date of birth): full Australian birth certificate, Australian or foreign passport, citizenship or naturalisation certificate, Australian photo driver licence. Each must show your full legal name.
Category B (use of your name in the community): Medicare card, debit or credit card in your name, photo student ID.

Extracts and commemorative birth certificates are refused, as are photocopies and certified copies. If your address is not on your documents, you may need a separate proof of address. Eligible car learners can apply through TMR’s online “Get my learner licence” service; others go to a customer service centre. See learning to drive in Queensland.

Western Australia: five documents in set combinations

WA asks first-time applicants for five original documents that together show your full name, date of birth and current address. You choose one of two combinations:

Combination	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D
1	1	1	2	1
2	1	0	2	2

Category A (identity in Australia): original Australian birth certificate (not an extract), citizenship or naturalisation documents, or an Australian visa with an overseas passport.
Category B (links you to that identity): Australian passport, current overseas passport, interstate licence or learner permit with photo and signature. Learners can instead use a Secondary Identification Statutory Declaration (Form E41). A parent or legal guardian must attend with their own current primary and secondary ID.
Category C (identity in the community): Medicare card, current bank card, WA student photo ID, a WA secondary school report, a WA Keys4Life certificate less than 2 years old, a WA Recreational Skipper’s Ticket or an ATO notice.
Category D (address): for example a letter from your school or another recognised education institution less than 12 months old. A category B or C document showing your address also counts, if you have not already used it.

At least one document must show your signature, and only physical originals are accepted. For school reports, DTMI’s identity page says less than 6 months old, while the Drive Safe handbook says less than 12 months. Bring the most recent report you have. The DTMI ID Checklist tool on its website helps you pick a combination. See learning to drive in WA.

South Australia: primary and secondary evidence

For your first SA permit you need at least three original evidence of identity documents: one primary and two secondary, or two primary and one secondary. Together they must show your full name, date of birth, signature and current SA address. If they do not show your address, bring a fourth document that does.

Primary: Australian passport (current or expired within the previous 3 years), full birth certificate showing parental details, Australian visa with a foreign passport, ImmiCard, citizenship certificate, or a current interstate photo licence or learner permit.
Secondary: current Medicare or concession card, bank card, or a bank statement, utility bill or ATO letter up to 12 months old, a student ID (current or expired up to 12 months), or evidence of electoral enrolment up to 2 years old.

If your middle name appears only as an initial, bring another primary document showing it in full. If you are genuinely unable to get acceptable documents, Service SA may ask for an alternative document or a non-standard evidence of identity verification form. Cost, or a lost document you could replace, does not count as genuinely unable. The handbook list was correct at January 2025, so check the current list on sa.gov.au. Next step: myLs or the in-office theory test.

Tasmania: three documents

Without a Tasmanian licence, you need at least three original documents: one category A and two category B, or two category A and one category B.

Category A: Australian birth certificate (not an extract or commemorative certificate), Australian citizenship papers, Australian passport, or a Tasmanian Government Personal Information Card.
Category B: Medicare card, bank or credit card with your signature, or a photo student ID from an Australian educational institution.

Documents must be in English or come with an accredited translation. If they do not show your current Tasmanian address, you must prove it separately. If you cannot meet the standard rules, ask Service Tasmania (1300 135 513) about the non-standard route: one category A document plus two non-standard documents. You take your evidence of identity to a Service Tasmania shop when you sit the standalone knowledge test, or after passing Plates Plus online. See the Tasmanian driver knowledge test.

ACT: proof of identity and residency

You need proof of identity and ACT residency before Access Canberra lets you sit a knowledge test or get your Ls. The ACT Road Rules Handbook lists:

Category A (primary): Australian birth certificate (not commemorative, not an extract), Australian or overseas passport (expired by up to 2 years), citizenship certificate, ImmiCard, or an Australian proof of age card such as a NSW Photo Card.
Category B (secondary): current Medicare card, bank card with your signature, current student ID with photo or signature, or a current concession card.
Proof of residency, as an extra document if your others do not show it: a utility or home internet account paid in the last 6 months, a lease from a real estate agent or ACT Government (private rental agreements are refused), an ATO assessment, or myGov correspondence from the last 6 months.

Between them, your documents must show your full name, a signature and your date of birth. The handbook asks for three identity documents in total and says the rules change, so confirm the current list with Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

Under 18 with no mail in your name? Access Canberra says a parent or legal guardian can come to the service centre with you and complete a written declaration that you live with them. See the ACT pre-learner course.

Northern Territory: become an MVR customer first

In the NT you must become a Motor Vehicle Registry customer before you can sit the theory test. Go to an MVR office with at least three original documents: one category A and two category B, or two category A and one category B.

Category A examples: Australian birth certificate, Australian passport or citizenship papers. Your date of birth must appear on a category A document.
Category B examples: utility bills, council rates notices and bank statements, within set date limits.
At least one document must show your NT residential address and one your signature, and your name must match across all of them.

Photocopies, certified extracts and digital copies, including digital driver licences, are refused. If you are missing documents, call MVR on 1300 654 628. Remote residents can get help with evidence of identity and residency through the DriveSafe NT remote program. See getting a licence in remote NT communities.

Under 18: do you need a parent’s consent?

Check the application and identity requirements for your state and age. A signed consent form can apply in special cases: Western Australia, for example, has a parent or guardian consent form (E20) for applicants seeking an exemption from the minimum age. A parent or guardian is still useful, and sometimes needed, for identity:

WA: a parent or guardian attends with their own ID and completes Form E41 so it counts as your category B document.
ACT: a parent or guardian can declare in writing that you live with them if you have no address documents.
NSW: a parent or guardian can write the witness letter if none of your documents shows your signature.
Victoria: a referee who has known you for at least 12 months and holds a current Victorian licence, such as a parent, can complete the residence declaration.

Rules for teenagers can change, so ask your licensing agency before you go if you have few documents in your own name.

No birth certificate or not enough documents?

Order a full birth certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state where you were born. In SA, a document you could replace does not count as unobtainable, so most agencies expect you to do this first.
Use school documents. Student IDs, school reports and school letters with your address count in several states (NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, TAS and the ACT).
Ask about the non-standard routes: SA’s non-standard verification form, the Tasmanian non-standard option, or a call to NT MVR about your circumstances.
Get free help. NSW’s Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP) supports Aboriginal communities, refugee and resettlement communities, vulnerable young people and others facing hardship, including help getting identification documents. Find a local provider through Transport for NSW. In the NT, DriveSafe NT staff advise on evidence of identity.

Before you go: checklist

Originals only, in physical form. No photocopies, scans or phone photos.
Names identical across documents, or a marriage or change of name certificate linking them.
At least one document with your signature and one with your current address.
Translations for any document not in English, from a translator your state accepts.
Glasses or contact lenses if you need them for the eyesight test.
Your knowledge test pass or certificate, where your state asks for it.

Next, compare the learner tests themselves: learner knowledge tests in every state and learner licence rules compared.

Common questions

Can I use my digital licence or a phone photo of my ID?

No. Every state asks for originals. The NT says digital copies, including digital driver licences, are refused, and WA accepts only physical records. NSW will accept an interstate digital licence only with the plastic card. See digital driver licences in Australia.

Is a birth certificate extract good enough?

No. Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania and the ACT refuse extracts and commemorative certificates, and Queensland also refuses them for learner licences. Order a full certificate showing parental details.

Does my school ID count?

In most states, yes, as a secondary document: NSW List 2, Victorian category B, Queensland and Tasmanian category B, WA category C, SA secondary and ACT category B. It usually needs a photo, and some states set an age limit on it.

I have an overseas passport. Is that enough?

It counts as one document. It is List 1 in NSW and category A in Queensland and the ACT. In WA it is category B, and you also need a category A document such as your Australian visa. You will still need the other documents on your state’s list.

My name on my bank card is different from my birth certificate.

Bring a change of name or marriage certificate that links them. Without it, most agencies will refuse the mismatched document.

I am moving states. Do I need to prove my identity again?

Usually yes, because each state checks identity when you first apply there. See moving to Victoria, moving to WA, moving to NSW and moving to Queensland.

Pillar guides by state: South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, the Northern Territory and Victoria.

Sources

Transport for NSW, “Proving your identity” and “Learner driver licence” (nsw.gov.au)
Transport for NSW, “Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP)” (nsw.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, “Road to Solo Driving” handbook, Evidence of identity (vicroads.vic.gov.au)
Queensland Government, “Evidence of identity” (qld.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Get my learner licence” (service.transport.qld.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Identity requirements” and “Apply for your learner’s permit” (transport.wa.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Drive Safe: A handbook for Western Australian road users”, Appendix 3 (transport.wa.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, Form E20, consent letter for an exemption from the minimum age for a learner’s permit or driver’s licence (transport.wa.gov.au)
Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook” (MR200, February 2026), Identification documents (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
Transport Services Tasmania, “Proving your identity” (transport.tas.gov.au)
Department of State Growth, “Getting your learner licence” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
Access Canberra, “Get your learner driver licence” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
ACT Government, “ACT Road Rules Handbook”, Proof of identity and residency (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
Northern Territory Government, “Evidence of identity and residency: licence and registration”, “Get your driver licence” and “Driver licences for remote residents” (nt.gov.au)

Proof of Identity for a Learner Licence in Australia: Every State