Redact a Driver LicenceBefore You Send a Copy
A licence number is a government related identifier. Organisations may need to sight your licence, but they generally must not adopt, use or disclose that number. Cover it in your browser. Nothing uploaded.
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What the rules actually say
Under the Australian Privacy Principles a driver licence number is a government related identifier. An organisation covered by the Privacy Act may collect one where it is reasonably necessary for its functions, but generally must not adopt, use or disclose it as its own identifier for you.
The OAIC’s tenancy guidance is direct: identity documents often carry personal information a real estate agent does not need, and if an agent needs a copy you should “think about blanking out personal information the real estate agent doesn’t need”.
In April 2026 the Privacy Commissioner determined that the 2Apply rental platform collected excessive personal information by unfair means. The determination noted the platform did not itself perform identity verification, and that identity could be established by collecting less. It suggested less intrusive alternatives, including a secure third party verification service or simply sighting documents.
NSW Fair Trading guidance says best practice is to sight ID documents and note only what must be kept, without storing the documents at all.
What To Cover On A Licence
Enough to prove who you are. Not enough to become you.
Cover these
- Licence number
- Card number, the smaller number often on the back
- Your residential address
- Date of birth, unless age is the point
- Signature
- Any donor or endorsement codes
Leave these visible
- Your name
- Your photo, if identity is being verified
- The issuing state
- Expiry date, if required
How It Works
Under a minute, and the file never leaves your device.
Open the photo or scan
Drop the image or PDF in. It stays on your device.
Cover the numbers and address
Black out the licence number, card number and your address.
Send the redacted copy
Export and share that version instead of the original.
Your documents never leave your browser
A driver licence is the single most requested identity document in Australia and the one most often stored carelessly. It carries your name, photo, address, date of birth and two separate identifiers on one card, which is why a leaked licence scan is so much more damaging than a leaked password.
RedactID does not add another copy. There is no upload step, because the redaction runs in the page you are already looking at. We never receive your file, so we cannot lose it.
How that actually worksCommon Questions
Can I redact my driver licence for a rental application?
Yes. The OAIC's tenancy guidance says that if an agent needs a copy of an identity document, you should think about blanking out personal information the agent does not need. In April 2026 the Privacy Commissioner also found that a major rental platform collected more identity detail than was reasonably necessary and could have verified identity by collecting less.
Why is the licence number sensitive?
It is a government related identifier tied to you permanently, and it is one of the fields used to verify identity against government databases. Under the Australian Privacy Principles an organisation generally must not adopt, use or disclose a government related identifier as its own identifier for you, even when it may legitimately sight it.
What is the card number and why cover it?
Separate from the licence number, many Australian licences carry a card number that is reissued when the card is replaced. It is used in online verification flows, so exposing both the licence number and the card number together is materially worse than exposing either alone.
Should I leave my photo visible?
If the point is verifying that you are the person applying, yes. If you are simply proving a licence exists, the photo may not be needed. Ask what the document is actually for, then share the least that answers it.
Is it better to just show the card in person?
Usually. NSW Fair Trading guidance says best practice is to sight documents and note only what must be kept, without storing copies at all. A sighted card creates no file that can leak later. Where a copy is genuinely required, a redacted copy is the next best thing.
Does RedactID upload my licence?
No. Everything happens in your browser. The image is not sent to our servers, not stored, and not seen by us.