Driver licence cards affected by data breach

If you're worried that your Northern Territory (NT) driver licence card details may have been compromised or stolen due to a data breach, there are a few things you should do.

Contact the affected organisation

First, you should contact the affected organisation to understand how the breach may affect you.

They will provide guidance on steps you should take, such as monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity.

Consider getting a replacement NT driver licence card

You should replace your NT driver licence card if you receive notification that both the below driver licence details have been compromised:

• driver licence number (at the front of the card)
• card number (at the back of the card).

By doing so, it will make it harder for someone to use your stolen information for fraudulent purposes, as licence details must pass a document verification process - find out how.

If only your driver licence number was compromised and not the card number, you don't need to replace your licence card.

However, if you want to replace it as a precaution, you can also do so.

How to get a replacement

You must pay a licence replacement fee, but you can seek reimbursement from the affected organisation by presenting your transaction receipt.

Find out how to replace your NT driver licence card.

New national protections

As of 1 September 2022, new national protections require both the driver licence number and the unique licence card number to pass a document verification service (DVS) check. This is used by banks, financial providers and the Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) to verify a person’s identity.

This two-step authentication process makes it harder for someone to use your driver licence number inappropriately.

If your driver licence and card numbers are compromised in a data breach, replacing your NT driver licence will ensure the stolen information is no longer verifiable through the DVS.

Read more about DVS on the Australian Government's IDMatch website.

Credential Protection Register

If your driver licence and card numbers are compromised in a data breach, your details will be added to the Credential Protection Register.

This will prevent your licence from being verified through the DVS until you get your replacement licence card.

The NT Government works with federal agencies and affected organisations to identify if Territorians have been affected by a data breach.

Recent data breaches and getting support

To find out about:

• a recent data breach, contact the affected organisation or go to their website
• cyber security protections and data breaches, go to the Australian Cyber Security Centre website
• identity and data breach support, go to the ID Care website.