When using online government services, you may need to verify your identity. The documents you use to do this may differ for each transaction.
Details you provide are checked against existing government records. We do this using an online service called IDMatch. Find out more about the service on the IDMatch website.
If you get an error message when you try to verify your document, check your details and try again. If it still doesn't verify, try a different document type.
Family name is also known as last name or surname on some documents. Given name is also known as first name or Christian name.
Names need to be entered using English alphabetic characters. Read the list of conversion rules for non-standard characters on the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website.
If your name has a hyphen, make sure there are no spaces on either side of the hyphen.
Don’t enter your middle name.
If you have a single name, enter it into the family name field. Enter a full stop (.) in the given name field.
On physical licences, your licence number is on the front of your card. It appears under ‘Licence Number’, ‘Licence No.’ or ‘LIC NO’.
The card number is on the back of licences from the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria or Western Australia. In all other states, it's on the front.
You can’t verify the following online:
Your passport must be current or expired within the last 3 years to be used for electronic validation.
If your given names or family name are longer than 31 characters, enter as much of the name as possible. If you can't enter all of your given names, enter as many in full as possible and then shorten the remaining names to the first initial.
Passport number appears under ‘Document No.’ on your passport. It has up to 2 letters followed by 7 numbers. Don't include any spaces.
If you have a single name, enter a hyphen (-) in the empty name field.
Your registration number will be on the front of the certificate under 'Registration Number', 'Number in Register' or 'Copy of Entry No'.
If your certificate was issued before 1999 enter the numbers that appear after the slash (/). For example:
If your certificate was issued after 1999 enter the full 8 digit registration number. You may also be able to verify using the 9 digit certificate number.
Verify using the certificate number. You can find this at the bottom of your certificate.
Australian Capital Territory birth certificates issued from 1930 onward can be electronically verified.
If your certificate has a single name, enter a hyphen (-) in the empty name field.
You can’t verify using a commemorative certificate or a certificate extract.
Your registration number can be found on the front of the certificate.
If a name field on your certificate is blank or contains a hyphen (-), you should leave it blank or enter the hyphen.
Your registration number can be found on the front of the certificate. Enter the digits that appear before the slash (/).
If your birth certificate only has a district number and was issued between 1952 and 1974, you can use the district number in the registration number field. The district number will be printed in the ‘Particulars of Registration’ section of the certificate.
Birth certificates issued before 1952 that only have a district number can’t be verified electronically.
Queensland birth certificates issued from 1941 onward can be electronically verified.
If you have a single name on your birth certificate, you won't be able to use it for electronic verification
Your registration number is on the front of the certificate. Use the numbers that appear after the slash (/).
You can also verify using the certificate number on birth certificates issued from 27 June 2016.
South Australia birth certificates issued from 1944 onward can be electronically verified.
Certificates issued from November 1999 onward should be verified using the certificate number. You can find this on the front of your certificate.
Certificates issued before November 1999 can be verified using the registration number on the front of the certificate.
Tasmania birth certificates can be electronically verified if the birth was registered from 1970 onward. If you were born before 1970 you may be able to use your birth certificate if it was issued from 2000 onward.
If you have a single name on your birth certificate, you won't be able to use it for electronic verification.
You registration number can be found on the front of your certificate. Enter all numbers that appear before the slash (/).
Birth certificates issued from September 2016 can be verified using the certificate number.
Victorian birth certificates issued from 1929 onward can be electronically verified.
If you only have a single name on the certificate, enter the details exactly as they appear in the other field. For example, ‘no registered surname’ or '-'.
Your registration number can be found on the front of the certificate. Enter all numbers that appear before the slash (/).
Birth certificates issued from 18 February 2019 can also be validated using the certificate number.
If you have a single name, leave the other name field blank.
Registration numbers vary depending on when the certificate was issued. You must enter 7 numbers. Use the following examples to find the right way to enter your number:
Some birth certificates include a registration number and district name. You will need to find the correct number for your district name and then add this to the front of the registration number. For example, if your registration number and district name was 456/63 in District of Perth you would ignore the /63 and add 2 zeros to 456 to make the registration number into 5 digits. You would then need to add the 2 digit district code for Perth 01 to the front to make up the 7 digit number: 0100456.
Get a list of West Australian district codes on the Australian Government's myGovID website.
To verify, your Australian visa must be current and you must be in Australia if you're a temporary visa holder.
If you have a single name in your passport, enter the name into the family name field and a hyphen (-) into the given name field.
Enter names exactly as they appear on the certificate.
Your certificate or registration number will be on the front of the marriage certificate. This number may include a slash (/). If your certificate was issued in the Northern Territory or Queensland, enter the numbers after the slash. For example, for NT 123/45 – enter 45.
If your certificate was issued in New South Wales, Tasmania or Victoria, enter the numbers before the slash.
Registration numbers on Western Australia certificates vary depending on when the certificate was issued. You must enter 7 numbers. Use the following examples to find the right way to enter your number:
You can’t verify the following:
Find your Medicare card number above the names on the front of your card.
The individual reference number will be next to your name on the left side of the card.
The card expiry date can be found next to 'Valid to' on the bottom of your card.
Enter your name exactly as it appears.
The following ImmiCards can be verified:
If you have one name, enter it into the family name field and include a hyphen (-) in the given name field.
Your ImmiCard number is on the front of the card. Enter all letters and numbers.
The following types of concession cards can be verified electronically:
Enter your full name as it appears on your card. If you have a middle name on your card, only enter the first initial.
Your customer reference number will be 9 numbers followed by a letter. It’s identified on your concession card as ‘CRN’.
The following Australian citizenship certificates can be verified electronically:
If you have a single name enter it into the family name field and leave given name blank.
Your document identification number may be known as a stock number, CAS number, evidence number, client ID or extract number.
On an Australian citizenship certificate, the stock number appears either on the back or bottom left corner on the front of the certificate. Enter all letters and numbers. Don’t enter any spaces, brackets or full stops.
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