HOPES are high up to 5000 Albury motorists will embed electronic driver's licences on their mobile phones in a trial of the technology.
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Drivers in the 2640 and 2641 postcodes are the third group in NSW to partake in the state's digital licence trial which began in Dubbo in 2017 and spread to a part of Sydney last year.
Albury has been selected as the latest area because administrator Service NSW wants to assess potential cross border issues.
More than 25,000 Albury motorists are eligible to access the electronic licence via the Service NSW app.
Service NSW south regional manager Paul Sutton said 10,000 of 100,000 in the eastern suburbs of Sydney were using the digital licence and he was hopeful of a higher percentage in Albury.
"For its success I would love to see anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent in this area would be a fantastic number to really get that feedback we need to roll it out to the rest of the state," Mr Sutton said.
The digital form will be accepted by Albury police at licence checks but is not deemed to be a legal artefact for police checks elsewhere in NSW and Victoria so it is recommended motorists continue to have their card.
Murray police district superintendent Evan Quarmby warned motorists should only reach for their phones after coming to a stop and being instructed by police.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy, who joined Mr Sutton at Albury's SS and A Club on Tuesday, said the mobile licence could be used at licensed venues for ID checks.
"It's convenience, these days everyone is carrying their smart phones, less and less carrying wallets," Mr Clancy said.
"It is opt-in, so if you prefer to use your hard licence you still will have that option."
The trial is expected to end in August, with the technology then available across NSW.
However, Mr Sutton said the end of licence cards altogether was distant.
"(For) the next generation coming up, who are just going out and getting their Ps today, it will probably be just like normal," he said.
"It will probably be anywhere from five years to 10 to really be cemented in as our culture.
"Right now we're not touching the plastic licence, it is part of our life, we still must present that plastic licence except for those trial areas where you are able to produce a digital licence."
Mr Sutton stressed the digital safety features of a phone licence.
"With a phone you've got the security of the log-in on the phone and also the security with the linking between the Roads and Maritime Service platform into our Service NSW app, so there's a lot of security behind it," he said.
