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Checking IDs before supplying alcohol

Know your obligations when checking identification before supplying alcohol.

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It is against the law to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.

To make sure your customers are at least 18, you must check:

  • they have presented an acceptable form of identification (ID)
  • their date of birth on the ID.

It is important you check the ID of anyone who looks under 25 years.

Acceptable forms of ID

These IDs provide acceptable evidence of age:

  • Australian driver licence (physical or digital)
  • Victorian learner permit (physical or digital)
  • Foreign driver licence. If not in English, it must be accompanied by an official English translation (for example, translated by a NAATI accredited translator) or an International Driving Permit.
  • Victorian proof of age card or an equivalent from another state or territory of Australia (physical or digital)
  • Keypass card (physical or digital)
  • Australian or foreign passport
  • Victorian marine licence.

Download the 'Approved forms of ID' poster for your licensed venue or location. It is optional to display.

Optional signage Approved forms of ID
PDF 1.48 MB
(opens in a new window)

Digital driver licences

Digital driver licences in Australia are government issued, so are acceptable evidence of age.

If you use ID scanners, you scan a digital licence the same way as other forms of ID. If your scanner is not working, ask for another acceptable form of ID.

For more information on digital driver licences, visit:

South Australia also has a digital driver licence.

Foreign driver licences

A customer may present a foreign driver licence that an accredited NAATI translator has translated into English.

It generally contains a NAATI translator stamp. Find out more on the NAATI website.

Some translators may not have a stamp, so they will sign and date a declaration that includes their name and NAATI certification number. This is a combination of letters and numbers, starting with CPN.

Other ways to check age

You have the authority, as a licensee or staff member, to ask for other evidence to satisfy yourself of:

  • the person's age
  • that they are the person on the ID they have presented.

For example, you may ask to see a bank card that confirms they have the same name as the ID.

Confiscating IDs

As a licensee, you or your staff can confiscate an ID (except a driver licence) if you believe it:


  • is not the customer's ID
  • contains the name or date of birth of someone other than the customer
  • is forged or altered.

If you cannot determine from the ID if the customer is 18 or older, ask for another form of ID.

You must give all confiscated IDs to Victoria Police.

Driver licence


A fake driver licence is a forged document that is not issued by any government or territory in Australia.

You can only confiscate a driver licence (physical card) if you are absolutely sure it’s not a genuine driver licence.

Look out for features that are different to a genuine licence, for example:

  • the plastic may be thinner
  • the font may be different
  • holograms may not appear where they should.


You cannot confiscate a:

  • fake digital driver licence
  • genuine driver licence (physical card), for example, if a minor tries to use the licence of a friend or relative who is aged 18 or older.

Penalties for fake IDs


There are serious penalties for using or producing fake IDs.

If you knowingly use a fake ID to buy alcohol or enter a licensed venue, you can be fined more than $1,000.

If you are found to have knowingly supplied, created or bought documents and information to produce evidence of age documents, you can be fined more than $4,000.

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