Acceptable ID for Bar Staff in Queensland

A Queensland beer garden at dusk with picnic tables and string lights, with no people in view.

In Queensland, the Liquor Act lists exactly five kinds of acceptable proof of age: a photo identification card, a recognised proof of age card, an Australian driver licence, a foreign driver licence, or an Australian or foreign passport. Each must be current, show the person's photo, and show their date of birth or age. Digital versions are accepted too.

The five kinds of acceptable ID

This comes from section 6 of the Liquor Act 1992. Business Queensland's ID checking page explains it for venues.

Acceptable ID	Notes
Photo identification card	The Queensland proof of age card. It can be held from age 15, so always read the date of birth
Recognised proof of age card	Issued by an authorised entity to evidence age
Australian driver licence	Must be current, with photo
Foreign driver licence	Business Queensland says one not in English needs an English international driver permit
Australian or foreign passport	Must be current, with photo

Business Queensland also says that a Queensland licence renewal receipt plus the expired licence may be accepted, at the venue's discretion. Which ID you accept is your decision, and the Act defines what counts.

Do digital licences count?

Yes. The Act also accepts a digital authority, digital evidence of age or digital evidence of identity. Business Queensland's digital ID page lists the Queensland Digital Licence app, and the South Australian, New South Wales and Victorian digital driver licences. If you are unsure that a screen is live, you can ask the patron to refresh it. Look for the pulsing Queensland Government crest and a current refresh date. Staff can also scan the QR code with the free Queensland Digital Licence Verifier app, though that is optional.

What is not acceptable?

The Act's list does not include student cards, Medicare cards, or photocopies or photos of ID. An 18+ card from another body only counts if it is a photo identification card or a recognised proof of age card. If they can't show acceptable ID, don't serve them alcohol.

What if the ID looks fake?

For hard-copy ID that is false, altered or not the patron's, section 160 says the person it is produced to must seize it and give it to an investigator. Failing to do so carries up to 25 penalty units. You must not seize a phone or device that shows digital ID. Business Queensland's guidance is to complete an ID confiscation report and send it to OLGR.

What are the penalties for serving a minor?

Penalties are set in penalty units, and one penalty unit is $172.70 from 1 July 2026. Under sections 155A and 156 of the Act, selling or supplying liquor to a minor can cost a licensee or approved manager up to 250 penalty units ($43,175). Anyone else, including bar staff, faces up to 80 penalty units ($13,816). Those are maximums, and the amounts change each 1 July.

There is a defence if you honestly and reasonably believed the person was 18, or had sighted acceptable evidence of age (section 230). But not asking for ID is evidence that any belief they were 18 was not reasonable.

Learn to check ID properly

Our Queensland RSA course teaches ID checking, refusing service and handling difficult patrons for $59. You do it 100% online and self-paced through enrolment here. Read who needs an RSA and how the online course works too.

If your venue serves food as well, see our Food Safety Supervisor course for Queensland, $129.

Do the Queensland RSA course — $59 →

What ID can I accept in a Queensland bar?

A current photo identification card, recognised proof of age card, Australian or foreign driver licence, or Australian or foreign passport, showing the holder's photo and date of birth or age. Digital versions are also accepted.

Is a Queensland Digital Licence accepted?

Yes. The Act accepts digital authorities, digital evidence of age and digital evidence of identity, and Business Queensland lists the Queensland Digital Licence app.

Can I accept a student card or Medicare card?

No. They are not on the Act's list of acceptable evidence of age.

Should I take a phone that shows fake digital ID?

No. Section 160 does not allow seizing a digital device. Complete an ID confiscation report for OLGR instead.

What is the maximum penalty for a bartender who serves a minor?

Up to 80 penalty units, which is $13,816 from 1 July 2026. A licensee or approved manager faces up to 250 penalty units ($43,175).