How to Set Up myID and Verify Your Digital Identity in Australia

What do you need before setting up myID?

myID is the Australian Government's Digital ID app. It is administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as part of the Australian Government Digital ID System and can be used to prove who you are when accessing participating online services.

To set it up, you must be 15 years or older, have a compatible smart device and have a personal email address. The official guidance says your email should be one you have ongoing access to and should not be a shared or work email address, because your Digital ID is personal to you.

The myID app is available through the Apple App Store and Google Play. As of September 2026, Android 10 and earlier are no longer supported; myID requires Android 11 or later on Android devices. The official guidance says the app performs best on iOS 17 or later or Android 15 or later. A front-facing camera is needed for photo verification.

How to set up a Basic myID

Basic is the starting identity strength. You do not have to verify identity documents to reach this level.

1. Download the official myID app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
2. If you have never used myID before, choose the first-time-user option in the app.
3. Enter your personal email address.
4. Create your myID password.
5. Enter your full name and date of birth.

After entering these details, you have a Basic identity strength. Basic provides access only to limited participating government online services. If you do not verify documents, or verify only one document, your identity strength remains Basic.

Basic, Standard and Strong myID explained

The level you need is determined by the online service you want to use. A higher identity strength lets you access services that require stronger identity assurance.

Basic identity strength

Basic requires only your personal details and provides access to limited participating government services. Verifying no identity documents or only one accepted document leaves your myID at Basic.

Standard identity strength

Standard provides access to most participating government online services. You need to successfully verify any 2 accepted Australian identity documents.

The accepted options listed by myID are:

• Australian passport that is current or no more than 3 years expired;
• Australian driver licence or learner permit;
• birth certificate;
• visa, verified using your foreign passport;
• ImmiCard;
• Australian citizenship certificate;
• Medicare card, which becomes available as an option after you verify one of the other listed documents.

If you plan to use a citizenship certificate as one of your documents but need a new certificate, see how to get or replace an Australian citizenship certificate. If you need a Medicare card first, the relevant process is covered in the guide to enrolling in Medicare for the first time.

Strong identity strength

Strong provides access to all participating government online services. It requires Australian identity documents and photo verification. The app performs a one-off face verification check to establish that you are a real person, the right person and completing the verification in real time.

For the Australian passport route, you must verify an Australian passport that is current or no more than 3 years expired, verify your photo by taking a selfie, and verify one of the following: citizenship certificate, driver licence or learner permit, or Medicare card. The Medicare option appears after another document has been verified.

Photo verification using a driver licence is being rolled out progressively. As verified on 15 September 2026, it is available for a Western Australian driver licence or learner permit. For this route, myID requires the WA licence and photo verification, one of a birth certificate, visa using a foreign passport, ImmiCard or citizenship certificate, and a Medicare card.

How to verify your identity documents

When you verify a document, the details you provide are electronically checked against government records. myID requires your express consent before verifying each identity document.

Enter document details exactly as required by the app. Your name generally needs to match across the documents used to establish your identity strength. Differences caused by a legal name change may be verifiable using an eligible marriage certificate or, for change-of-name certificates, documents issued in the ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia or Tasmania.

Requirements differ by document. For example, birth-certificate information depends on the state or territory that issued the certificate. Follow the prompts for your particular document rather than assuming that every certificate uses the same registration details.

How does myID photo verification work?

Photo verification is required to achieve Strong identity strength. You must give express consent and allow the myID app to use your device's front-facing camera.

The app asks you to take a selfie. The face-verification process checks that you are a real person, compares you with the photograph on the eligible identity document and checks that you are completing the process in real time. The official myID guidance states that the photo taken for this one-off verification process is deleted after verification.

For the best chance of successful verification, use a well-lit area, remove items such as glasses that obscure your face, keep your eyes open, look at the screen, hold the device still and position yourself close enough for the app's on-screen indicator.

Which identity strength should you choose?

You do not need to increase your identity strength beyond what the service requires. Check the participating service's minimum requirement before verifying additional documents.

For example, the official myID service directory currently lists Standard for myGov, Centrelink, director ID, Relationship Authorisation Manager and the Australian Business Register, while the Tax File Number service is listed as requiring Strong. Requirements can differ between services and can change, so check the service you intend to use.

If you are setting up myID specifically to become a company director, you can continue with the separate guide on applying for a director ID before becoming a company director.

How to use myID after setup

For a participating online service, the usual process is to go to that service's login page, choose Continue with Digital ID, select myID as the Digital ID provider and enter your myID email address. The service displays a 4-digit code. Open and authenticate in your myID app, then enter or accept the code and return to the browser to review and consent to the information being shared.

myID is for proving your identity when accessing selected online services. It is not an in-person identity document and cannot be presented in the same way as a physical driver licence.

Can you use myID with myGov?

Yes. A myID with Standard or Strong identity strength can be connected to myGov. Once connected, myID can be used as a secure myGov sign-in option and can also help with functions such as recovering access to your myGov account.

myID and myGov are not the same product: myID is your Digital ID used to prove who you are, while myGov is an account used to access linked Australian Government services.

What if you cannot reach Standard or Strong?

If you cannot reach Standard or Strong, first check whether the service you want actually requires that identity strength. Some services accept Basic, and most participating services accept Standard rather than requiring Strong.

If a service requires Standard or Strong and you cannot achieve it, the official myID guidance says to contact the provider of that online service about alternative access options.

If photo verification fails, check camera permission, lighting and positioning. Official support also advises users who continue to have problems during the face verification check to quit the app, wait 5 minutes and try again.

Common myID setup mistakes to avoid

• Using a work or shared email: use a personal email address that only you have access to and expect to keep.
• Downloading an unofficial app: obtain myID only from the official Apple App Store or Google Play listing.
• Assuming one verified document gives Standard: Standard requires 2 accepted documents.
• Using an unsupported Android version: Android 10 and earlier are no longer supported as of September 2026.
• Ignoring name differences: names generally need to match across documents, unless an eligible name-change process can resolve the difference.
• Trying to use myID as physical identification: myID is designed for participating online services, not as an in-person ID card.
• Creating a new identity with a different email when changing devices: if you have used myID before, follow the existing-user setup and use your existing myID email. The official guidance warns that using a different email during re-setup can lock your myID.

What happens when you change phones?

Your identity strength is unique to each device. If you install myID on a new device, choose the existing-user option, enter the same myID email address and re-verify your identity. myID recommends reaching the same identity strength on each device you use.

If you previously achieved a higher identity strength on another device, you may need to reproduce that strength on the current device to perform certain account-management actions. Keep access to your myID email address because it is associated with your Digital ID.