Quick answer
What photo do I need for a Working With Children Check?
It depends on the state. Victoria asks for a colour JPG of at least 406 × 521 pixels, under 5 MB, taken within 12 months on a plain light background. The NT Ochre Card uses a 35–40 × 45–50 mm photo. Elsewhere the photo is taken for you or reused, and NSW issues no card.
Working With Children Checks are run by each state and territory, and the photo on the card comes from different places. In Victoria and the Northern Territory you can supply your own photo; elsewhere it is taken at Australia Post or a government service centre, or reused from your licence record. NSW issues no card at all.
How each state handles the photo
| State | Card | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Working with Children Check | Upload your own photo when you apply online, or have it taken free at Australia Post |
| Northern Territory | Ochre Card | Supply your own photo (upload as JPG online), or have it taken free at the SAFE NT office in Darwin |
| Queensland | Blue card | Uses the photo on your TMR (licence or photo ID) record |
| Western Australia | WWC card | Taken at Australia Post when you lodge, included in the fee |
| Tasmania | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People | Taken at Service Tasmania within 21 days of applying online |
| ACT | Working with Vulnerable People card | Taken at a service centre, or two passport-standard photos (one endorsed) by post |
| NSW | Working With Children Check | No card and no photo: you get a WWCC number |
Victoria: Working with Children Check photo requirements
When you apply online through Service Victoria, you upload a photo that meets these rules. Service Victoria also checks your identity with a selfie during the application.
| File | Colour JPG or JPEG, less than 5 MB |
|---|---|
| Size | At least 406 × 521 pixels |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 12 months |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured |
| Expression | Neutral |
| Glasses | Allowed if you normally wear them |
| Head covering | Allowed for religious or medical reasons |
If you apply in person, Australia Post takes your photo at no charge. From 1 July 2026 an employee check costs $139.20 and a volunteer check is free. Your clearance is also available digitally in the Service Victoria app.
Northern Territory: Ochre Card photo
| Size | 45–50 mm high × 35–40 mm wide |
|---|---|
| Framing | Head and top of the shoulders |
| Background | Pale |
| Photo age | Less than 6 months old |
| Online upload | JPG file |
The SAFE NT office in Darwin takes Ochre Card photos for free. The NT Government's pages quote the application fee as both $87 and $89, so check the amount when you apply.
Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the ACT
- Queensland blue card: uses the photo linked to your TMR record. If it is more than 6 years and 11 months old, visit a TMR centre for a free new photo. Remote applicants use forms F5399 or F5342.
- WA: your photo is taken when you lodge your application at Australia Post. After two online renewals in a row, you must lodge in person for a new photo.
- Tasmania: after applying online, have your photo taken at Service Tasmania within 21 days. You need a new photo if your last one is over 10 years old.
- ACT: your photo is taken at a service centre. Postal applicants send two identical passport-standard photos with one endorsed on the back. A card for paid work costs $163; volunteer cards are free.
How to get your Working With Children card photo
- Check how your state handles the photo. Victoria and the NT let you supply your own photo. Other states take it for you or reuse your licence photo, and NSW issues no card.
- Victoria: prepare an upload. A colour JPG or JPEG of at least 406 × 521 pixels, under 5 MB, taken within the last 12 months, on a plain light background with a neutral expression. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
- NT: prepare your Ochre Card photo. 45–50 mm high × 35–40 mm wide, showing your head and the top of your shoulders on a pale background, less than 6 months old. Upload it as a JPG if you apply online.
- Or have it taken for free. Australia Post takes Victorian photos at no charge if you apply in person, and the SAFE NT office in Darwin takes Ochre Card photos for free.
Sample photos
Working With Children Check photo FAQ
A colour JPG or JPEG photo of at least 406 × 521 pixels, under 5 MB, taken within the last 12 months, on a plain light background with a neutral expression.
In Victoria, yes, if you normally wear them. Religious or medical head coverings are also accepted.
No. NSW does not issue a physical card. You receive a WWCC number, which you can also keep in the Service NSW app.
Your blue card uses the photo on your Department of Transport and Main Roads record, from your driver licence or photo ID. If that photo is more than 6 years and 11 months old, you need to visit a TMR centre for a new one, which is free.
Official sources
- Victorian Government: Requirements for an acceptable photo
- Victorian Government: Working with Children Check applications
- NT Government: Ochre Card photograph requirements
- Queensland Government: Apply for a blue card
- Working with Children Check WA: How to apply
- Service Tasmania: Registration to Work with Vulnerable People
- Access Canberra: Working with Vulnerable People registration
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.