Good news for the increasing number of young locals who currently don’t have a driver’s licence, with those aged 16–21 now having the option of a Digital Birth Certificate, thereby making it easier to access verified identification.

The initiative should reduce the hassles caused when those who have the NSW Photo ID need to provide primary identification online or to banks and the like, many of which baulk at accepting the Service NSW-issued alternative.

The new digital document is available statewide and has been designed to international security standards and can be set up via the Service NSW app. This opt-in Digital Birth Certificate provides a secure way to access this essential document and will allow greater control over information being shared.

The first group of people to be eligible to apply are 16-to-21-year-olds born in NSW, who hold a NSW photo card or driver licence, with other groups likely to be accepted under the initiative in the future, Service NSW Managing Director Greg Wells said.

"The Digital Birth Certificate is completely optional and can be easily downloaded on the Service NSW app; losing birth certificates will be a thing of the past, with the Service NSW app allowing customers to store their certificates in one place,” Mr Wells said.

“During natural disasters when people need documents like these the most, we often help people whose birth certificates and other documents have been destroyed; a digital version provides a solution for those who need to verify their identity quickly to access services,” he concluded.