Purpose of collection
A MyServiceNSW Account, an online service run by Service NSW, has been developed to connect you online with NSW Government services, quickly and securely.
We collect, use and disclose your personal information so that you can use your MyServiceNSW Account on the Service NSW website or the mobile app to perform transactions with us or our partner agencies.
A partner agency is any Commonwealth, state or local government agency or other organisation that Service NSW may partner with to deliver a service.
You can use a MyServiceNSW Account to:
- check and renew your licences and registrations
- apply for vouchers, rebates and other services
- perform online transactions with us or our partner agencies, including identity verification
- switch to digital notifications for your services and updates
- find details about your services without having to call or wait in line.
This collection notice applies to the personal information we collect when you register and use a MyServiceNSW Account or an assisted MyServiceNSW Account. You should also refer to the privacy collection notice for specific products or services that we deliver, if applicable. For example, there are separate privacy notices when you use your MyServiceNSW Account to apply for vouchers or grants.
Businesses have the option to create a Business profile within their MyServiceNSW Account and should also refer to the Service NSW Business Profile – Privacy Collection Notice for more information.
For more information on your rights and responsibilities as a user of the MyServiceNSW Account, go to the MyServiceNSW Account – Terms and Conditions.
What information we collect
When you create a MyServiceNSW Account, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- your email address
- a password.
You also have the option to provide the following information:
- your mobile number
- whether you identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.
Creating a MyServiceNSW Account and providing these details is voluntary. However, you cannot use a MyServiceNSW Account without an email and a password.
During the MyServiceNSW Account creation process a one-time code (OTC) will be sent to your email address. Once you verify your email address using the OTC, your MyServiceNSW Account will be created and you will need to submit a valid password.
Once you complete the account creation process your personal information will be retained and stored.
After you have set up a MyServiceNSW Account, you may choose to include additional personal information in your account. This includes information that is required when you want to turn on multi-factor authentication to improve security on your account. If you provide your mobile number as part of turning on multi-factor authentication you must ensure that the mobile number associated with your account remains up to date.
You can also add information to your account when performing a transaction or service with us. This may include personal information such as your name, contact details including your residential address and mailing address, as well as services you have received.
Assisted MyServiceNSW Account
If you do not have an email address you will not be able to create a MyServiceNSW Account without our help.
We can create an assisted MyServiceNSW Account for you over the phone (call us on 13 77 88) or in a service centre.
When an assisted MyServiceNSW Account is created for you, you'll be asked to provide the following information:
- your full name
- your residential address.
You also have the option to provide the following information:
- your mobile number
- whether you identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.
How we use or disclose information
We may use and disclose personal information in your MyServiceNSW Account to assist you perform transactions with us or a partner agency.
For example, this may include to:
- help you to pre-complete online forms
- verify your identity
- enable you to complete transactions or access services delivered by us or by another NSW government agency
- add a service (or transaction) involving another NSW government agency to your account and/or Service NSW Mobile App
- identify and assist you when our customer service team is helping you to perform administration on your MyServiceNSW Account, or to carry out transactions on your behalf
- help you share personal information with other NSW government agencies to make it easier for you to update your contact details across different services at the same time
- assist you to improve security on your MyServiceNSW Account by:
- securely checking your password against a database of known leaked passwords that is published online, and
- enabling multi-factor authentication functionality if you have signed into the Service NSW app using your MyServiceNSW Account information.
- assist you to perform transactions on your MyServiceNSW Account. For example, when multi-factor authentication is enabled we may send a push notification to your MyServiceNSW app or a confirmation code to the mobile number associated with your account. This is required if you want to complete transactions with us, such as resetting your password.
If you choose to provide us with information about whether you identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin:
- it will only be used for de-identified statistical purposes
- it will only be disclosed to an external agency with your consent and only as part of a specific transaction between Service NSW and the agency where the information is requested, as part of the transaction
- it will not be used or disclosed for any purpose without your consent
- you can update this information from your MyServiceNSW Account at any time and withdraw your consent for this information to be used or disclosed at any time. If you choose to change this information or withdraw your consent, this information is updated in your MyServiceNSW Account.
We will ask for your consent for most other secondary uses or disclosures. For example, in some cases we can also make updating and providing your information easier, by sharing your information with different NSW Government agencies if you consent.
How we communicate with you
We use the contact details in your MyServiceNSW Account to send information relevant to you. This may include to:
- contact you and provide information relevant to transactions you have performed, or products that you hold, such as a driver licence or vehicle registration (for example, if you renew your registration we will send you a receipt)
- contact you with important information about your MyServiceNSW Account or information we hold about you (for example, when relevant to your privacy or the security of your information)
- send you general communications material or information sent by us or by our partner agencies, which may include information about your local area or region if your contact details contain a postcode
- send you information to help prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to life or health, or where we are otherwise authorised or required to do so by law.
You can find more information on how to manage some of these notifications in the Communication preferences section.
The Department of Customer Service (DCS) assist us with our business operations by sending email communications on our behalf. To enable these communications, we will share your contact details with DCS. DCS will not use or disclose this information for any other purpose without your consent.
Communication preferences
You can choose not to receive some notifications or messages from us through your MyServiceNSW Account Notification preferences section. This includes general communications material or information sent by us or by our partner agencies.
These communications will contain information relating to Service NSW products or services, though may contain other relevant information from government agencies or partners.
There are some notifications or messages that you cannot opt out of. For example, when it directly relates to a transaction you have performed with us or when it is relevant to your privacy or the security of your personal information. This includes sending a push notification to your Service NSW app (if enabled) or a confirmation code to your mobile number if you have turned on multi-factor authentication in your MyServiceNSW Account.
We may also send you information to help prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to life or health, or where we are otherwise authorised or required to do so by law.
If you have a Business Profile linked to your MyServiceNSW Account you will also need to refer to the Service NSW Business Profile – Privacy Collection Notice. This will provide you with more information about how your personal information is handled when we communicate with you through your Business Profile.
Fraud control
We have functions relating to the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud. These include:
- undertaking fraud prevention and detection activities, including the use of data analytic tools, to determine whether any MyServiceNSW Account has been or is likely to be used for fraudulent or otherwise unauthorised purposes
- undertaking investigations to determine whether an applicant for a MyServiceNSW Account has used the personal information of another person for an improper purpose or has provided information that is misleading or untrue
- undertaking investigations to determine the eligibility of an applicant to receive a grant, rebate, voucher, payment or benefit under a program administered by Service NSW.
From 19 September 2023 when you provide personal information to create a new MyServiceNSW Account, or to update personal details in your account profile, we will also use this information to prevent, detect and investigate fraud and other unauthorised activity.
MyServiceNSW Account information that was collected before 19 September 2023 will only be used for fraud control as permitted under privacy law. This includes:
- where you have been notified in another collection notice (for example, if you have applied for a grant, rebate, voucher, payment or benefit) that your MyServiceNSW Account information would be used for fraud control purposes
- where you have consented to us using your information for fraud control purposes
- where our use of your information for fraud control purposes is directly related to the purpose for which we collected your information.
Our fraud control activities include the use of data matching and fraud detection software.
Verifying your identity
Your MyServiceNSW Account can be used to verify your identity for when you apply for and/or add services to your account.
To do this we collect personal information from your identity documents.
We disclose this information to the document issuer or official record holder for the purposes of verifying the documents against the records of Australian Government and state and territory government agencies. This may include the Document Verification Service, provided by the Department of Home Affairs, or Services Australia for Department of Veteran Affairs card holders.
We retain and use information you provide in your identity documents to detect when someone that isn’t you may attempt to use your proof of identity documents in a transaction and prevent it from occurring. We do this to help protect your identity and your MyServiceNSW Account from misuse. You should also refer to the privacy collection notice for the handling of personal information for specific products or services that we deliver, if applicable to your transaction.
You can choose to make your identity document information available for future use. This function can help verify you faster by automatically filling in your proof of identity information within a transaction, with your consent. If you choose this option, the name from your identity document will also be shown in your profile. It will also help Service NSW identify you if you need our help through one of our assisted channels. This function is optional and you can change your mind at any time by removing the option, in your profile settings, of reusing identity documents.
Protecting your information
We take reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure, or other misuse.
Physical measures, such as building and equipment security, are used in conjunction with digital technology, such as data encryption and firewalls, to minimise unauthorised access to information.
We ensure that personal information is not kept longer than necessary, and disposed of appropriately, in accordance with the law.
We retain a record of transactions performed using your MyServiceNSW Account for audit and other purposes. This includes to identify and investigate suspicious or inappropriate use of a MyServiceNSW Account.
You can view a summary of some of the transactions performed with your MyServiceNSW Account by visiting your activity history.
If you are concerned about something in your activity history, contact us. We investigate all issues reported to us.
What information you are required by law to provide to us
Creating a MyServiceNSW Account and providing your personal information is voluntary. You are not required by law to provide this information to us.
However, if you choose not to provide us with the information we need to create your MyServiceNSW Account, you may not be able to create a MyServiceNSW Account or access some government services.
There is no consequence if you choose not to provide us with information about whether you identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.
Access and correction of your information
You can access, review or correct your personal information by:
- logging into your MyServiceNSW Account and reviewing and correcting your information contained in your profile, or
- if you are unable to log in to you MyServiceNSW Account you should contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 for assistance.
Further information
Read more information about how Service NSW handles your personal information. This includes how:
- you can access and seek correction of the information
- privacy enquiries or complaints can be made
- information is securely stored
- you can contact us.
Service NSW is located at 2-24 Rawson Place, Sydney NSW 2000.