NSW to introduce digital birth certificates for young adults

People born in NSW will soon become the only Australians to have access to their birth certificate on their mobile phone.

The state government today announced details of its rollout of the digital documents, with residents aged 16 to 21 who hold a photo card or driving licence able to apply for an online certificate from next March.

NSW Digital and Customer Services Minister Jihad Dib said the move would make it simpler and more secure for people to prove their identity.

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"Not only will it help you prove your identity, it will safeguard your information and give you more control of your personal data through better consent and privacy measures.

"The Digital Birth Certificate means you will have access to this important document anytime, wherever you are, and removes the issue of where to safely keep a paper copy."

The online certificate, available within the NSW Service app, is optional and was designed to meet global standards.

Young adults with one will initially be able to use it at Service NSW centres to apply for government transactions, such as the Responsible Service of Alcohol and Responsible Conduct of Gambling competency cards.

The NSW government says the online move will also help victims of natural disasters prove their identity when their paper birth certificates are destroyed.

Service NSW and the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages said they were working with industry bodies to ensure the document will be accepted in future by government, businesses, schools, clubs and sporting organisations.

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