Government announces charging for use of the Digital ID system

The Australian Government has announced that, as part of the Budget, it will set arrangements for charging and user choice of Digital ID providers in the Australian Government Digital ID System.

The government says its decision will provide certainty to the private sector and ensure competitive neutrality requirements are met ahead of businesses being able to apply to participate in the government system from 1 December 2026.

The government’s decision means that when the government system becomes open to the private sector the government will charge businesses for the use of myID as a relying party.

Private Digital ID providers approved to participate in the government system will be able to charge commercially for their Digital ID services, including with government relying parties if the government relying party wishes to use a service other than myID. Some government services will be able to choose whether to use private Digital ID providers but there will be no default requirement for them to offer users choice of Digital ID provider.

For government services where fraud could significantly impact people’s financial circumstances private Digital ID provider will not be permitted, with a list of these services to be published in due course. Government services (including Australian, state and territory government services) will continue to use the government’s Digital ID services without charge, consistent with existing arrangements

The government is working to set prices for the use of myID and implement administrative functions such as invoicing. The government envisages that initial charging arrangements would be based on a simple per transaction fee with invoices issued in arrears once charging commences.

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