WA will finally catch up to the rest of the country and begin taking steps to implement a digital driver’s licence, nearly a decade after the tech was first introduced in the Eastern states.

By the end of this year Western Australia will be the only place in the country that doesn’t have the technology available - and will still be a long time from being anywhere near ready.

The digital ID isn’t expected to be available for a limited pilot program until the middle of next year, with full implementation some time in late 2027.

It is envisioned the ID will be available through either the ServiceWA app or through phone wallets like Apple Pay and Google Wallet.

The technology first came to Australian shores in South Australia in 2017, and New South Wales followed suit in 2019.

Assistant Minister for Transport Jessica Stojkovski defended the delay, arguing WA’s version would be world-leading and more secure.

“A really important part of the work that’s been done to progress the digital driver’s licence in Western Australia is managing the security aspect that comes with holding sensitive information in a digital format,” she said.

The Queensland Government raised the same security justification for several years as it came under fire for the slow progress in delivering the technology back in 2023.

WA’s digital ID will be optional, with drivers allowed to hold on to their existing licences or receive new ones as they get them.

Ms Stojkovski also moved to allay any fears that digital IDs would replace physical cards.

“We understand that there are some people that are wary or sensitive around digital licences or capturing of digital information and that’s why this is very much an option,” she said.

“You won’t be forced to have a digital driver’s licence, you can still have a physical card if that’s your preference.

“It’s for the foreseeable future, we have no plans to make it a digital driver’s licence only so if you want to, you can still keep your physical driver’s licence.

It was revealed $28.2 million will be included in May’s budget to develop the technology.

According to Ms Stojkovski, retail and hospitality venues will be required to accept digital licences as proof of age.

“They will need to accept digital driver’s licences and the Office of Digital Government will work with them on how that process works to be able to present,” she said.

“At the moment, if you go to a club and you present your licence, they capture that information, we’re not sure how they store it, what they do with it.

“In this case, when they do have a proof of age for example to go into a nightclub or into a pub, they will just be told that you are of age, they won’t get the rest of your data, which they currently do now.”