FAQs for bus drivers

No. You must complete a Commercial Medical Assessment with your doctor (and any necessary specialists) before you can apply. It is a pre-requisite to be deemed medically fit to apply for a BDA.

No. You cannot start and go back to finish your application on another day.

You need to have a valid email address to submit an online application.

You must also provide all your supporting documents. This includes a digital copy of your driver licence.

You will not be able to submit an application online without attaching all mandatory documents.

The best format for your documents is PDF. If your supporting documentation is not in the correct format, you should not submit your application as this will increase processing times.

If you do not hold a valid NSW driver licence, you will need to provide a digital photo for your BDA card.

A digital photograph can be obtained from any Australia Post or camera retailer that provides this service.

• Your digital photograph should be a recent, clear photo of your head and neck on a pale background without a hat or sunglasses.
• The resolution of the photo should be width 246 pixels and height 246 pixels.
• Photos should be uploaded in any of the following formats: JPG/JPEG/PNG/BMP/GIF.
• Selfies or photographs that have been cropped will not meet the requirements above.
• You will not be able to submit an application online if you do not provide a photograph that meets these requirements.

You will need one of the following browsers for the online application to work:

• Chrome (version 66 or above)
• Safari (version 12.1.4 or above)
• Firefox (version 66 or above)
• Microsoft Edge (version 100)

Your BDA application expires after six months. This starts from the time you apply to the time you are approved to become a bus driver.

No, you don't. But, your bus driver authority can't be approved until you have completed the training. Please note your application expires after six months and you will need to submit a new application.

Your Bus Driver Authority will be posted within 10 working days, provided your application meets all mandatory requirements. If Transport is requested to apply for a National Criminal History check on your behalf, this will delay the processing of your application.

This is the number that will be displayed in the confirmation email you will be sent.

Contact your local consulate if you're having difficulty finding the information you need.

If the driving record and history are not in English, they must be accompanied by a certified copy of an official translation from Multicultural NSW or the Translating and Interpreting Service of the Department of Home Affairs.

If you need to check your medical assessment, you can contact Service NSW on 13 22 13 or for all other enquiries phone Transport on 02 8848 8700.

You will need to contact the relevant state or territory government office:

• Victoria – VicRoads
• South Australia – SA.GOV.AU
• Queensland – Queensland Government
• Western Australia – Western Australia Police Force
• Tasmania – Department of State Growth – Transport
• ACT – Access Canberra
• Northern Territory – NT.GOV.AU

If you are from New Zealand and are applying for mutual recognition, you can obtain your record from the New Zealand – NZ Transport Agency.

No. If you are unsure of the exact date, you can apply for a copy of your traffic record and licence details at any Service NSW Service Centre. The information will be contained on the licence details provided,

Yes. You need to provide secondary identification to prove who you are. Look at the Secondary ID List for more help.