Evidence of identity

To prove your identity you need to provide at least three original evidence of identity documents.

You need to provide proof of identity to apply for:

a South Australian driver’s licence or boat licence
transferring an interstate or overseas licence
a change of name
registration of a vehicle or vessel for the first time
a proof of age card
boat code agent or examiner.

What you need

Proof of identity can be in the form of either:

one primary and two secondary documents
two primary and one secondary documents.

These documents together must show:

full name
date of birth
signature
current South Australian residential address
evidence of change of name, if you have changed your name and it is different from the documents presented.

You will be asked to provide consent for your information to be checked with the document issuer or official record holder through third party systems for the purpose of confirming your identity.

Primary evidence of identity

All primary evidence of identity documents must be in hard copy/physical format or presented with a hard copy/physical document:

a current Australian passport or one that has expired within the previous three years
a current New Zealand passport (where the Australian visa cannot be verified)
an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages office issued full birth certificate showing parental details
a current Australian visa (with a foreign passport and accompanied by a visa grant notice) or an electronic travel authority (with a foreign passport)
an Australian Government ImmiCard (current or expired) (Evidence of Immigration Status or Australian Migration Status or Permanent Resident Evidence or Residence Determination) issued by the Department of Home Affairs
Australian Citizenship Certificate, Certificate of Naturalisation, Declaratory Certificate of Australian Citizenship, Evidentiary Certificate of Australian Citizenship, Citizenship by Descent extracts (formerly Registration of Citizenship by Descent), or adoption in accordance with the Hague convention on inter-country adoption certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs
a document for travel to Australia issued by the Department of Home Affairs
a Certificate of Identity or a United Nations Convention Travel Document (Titre de Voyage) issued by the Australian Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
photograph and/or signature stored on the Registrar of Motor Vehicles’ database
South Australian proof of age card (issued after 9 October 2006)
South Australian or Federal Police Officer photo identity card
a current interstate photo driver’s licence or learner’s permit
Aboriginal Population Record Certificate issued by the Northern Territory.

Secondary evidence of identity

Secondary evidence of identity documents may be presented either in hard copy/physical or digital format. Electronic statements accessed through your account on an app on your device (eg mobile phone or tablet) and internet-printed statements are acceptable:

an expired (no limit) New Zealand passport (where the Australian visa cannot be verified)
a current Medicare card, Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs entitlement card that shows your name (may include other persons’ names and your name does not need to be the primary name)
an interstate equivalent of the South Australian proof of age card issued by an interstate government authority (issued within the previous ten years)
an employee photo identity card issued by a state, territory or Australian government agency (issued within the previous five years)
a current credit or debit card that shows your embossed or printed name and signature, or account card from a bank, building society or credit union, or a passbook (up to twelve months old)
an account statement or a letter from a bank, building society or credit union on the institution’s letterhead or with the institution’s stamp (up to twelve months old)
letter from the Australian Taxation Office (which includes your tax file number), Centrelink or Medicare on the institution’s letterhead or with the institution’s stamp (up to twelve months old)
current Australia Post issued Keypass ID Card (issued on or after 2 October 2017 (must feature red and white Australia Post logo at top left)
phone, internet, gas, electricity or water bill on the institution’s letterhead or with the institution’s stamp (up to twelve months old)
a council rates or land valuation notice (up to twelve months old)
a contract of sale, lease arrangement or rental receipt for your place of residence (up to two years old)
Australian Defence Force photo identity card (excluding civilian staff and family)
current Defence Housing Agreement
evidence of enrolment to vote from Australian Electoral Commission (up to two years old)
Australian Taxation Office tax assessment (previous or current financial year)
student identity document from an Australian educational institution with photograph and/or signature (current or expired up to twelve months)
certificate or statement of enrolment from an educational institution (up to twelve months old)
a letter signed by the principal, deputy principal or head of school, or a person with authority to sign for the principal, deputy principal or head of school of a recognised educational institution, on the institution’s letterhead (up to twelve months old)
school report, certificate of accomplishment or enrolment issued by a secondary school in South Australia (up to six months old)
occupational licence (SafeWork SA or Consumer and Business Services) showing photograph
an armed services discharge document (up to twelve months old)
Australian-issued security guard or crowd controller licence showing photograph
Australian-issued firearms licence showing photograph
Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) or Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) issued during or after October 2018.

Change of name evidence of identity

All change of name evidence of identity documents must be in hard copy/physical format or presented with a hard copy/physical document.

You will need to complete an advice of change of name/address (121.2 KB PDF) and provide full evidence of identity in either your current or former name and one of the following documents:

birth certificate issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages office showing name at birth and the new name
marriage certificate issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages office
change of name certificate issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages office
divorce papers Decree Nisi or Absolute issued by an Australian Court, indicating the name being reverted to
adoption paper issued by an Australian Court
Australian Government ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs indicating the previous name on the back of the card

Additional information

At least one of the three documents presented will need to provide evidence of your current South Australian address. If none of the documents display the address an additional document will be required.

Documents that list middle names as an initial will need to be supported by another acceptable primary document which shows what the initial stands for.

Photocopies, certified extracts of original documents and commemorative certificates will not be accepted.

If documents are not in English, a translation from an approved Australia based translator will be accepted.

If there are genuine reasons for being unable to provide the required documents, you may be able to present an alternative document or complete a non-standard evidence of identity verification form. Contact Service SA for additional information.

Please note, inconvenience or expense are not satisfactory reasons for exemption.