· Written and maintained by Nonimo
Applying for a rental in Perth, starting a FIFO job, picking up a campervan at the airport: each one tends to end with “can you send us a copy of your licence?”. Whatever you send lands in an inbox, a CRM or a shared drive, often for years. A watermark written across the copy names the person it was meant for, so if it ever surfaces somewhere else, the copy itself says so.
The tool above puts that watermark on a copy of your WA drivers licence without anything leaving your device. Load a photo or PDF, finish the sentence and download.
How to watermark your WA licence copy
1. Add a picture of your licence
Point your phone camera at the card or pick a file you saved earlier. JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC (the iPhone photo format) and PDF all load, and the processing happens in your own browser. A WA licence has details on both sides, so if both are asked for, load the other side into “Back” too: on a computer “Download both sides as a PDF” saves them as one file, and on a phone you do one side, then the other.
2. Choose the watermark line
The watermark starts switched on with “For this application only”, the current month and year already added. Send it like that, edit it to take in the recipient and the reason, or start from one of the “Quick picks”, then pick a layout. Sample lines follow below, with a note on which layout suits which recipient.
3. Save the marked copy
Choose PNG, JPG or PDF. The line becomes part of the image pixels, and the file you save carries no metadata, so the phone model, timestamp and location stay out of it. Office files and PDFs hide the same sort of detail, and here’s how to strip it from Word and PDF. Send the marked copy and keep your original photo to yourself.
What to write on your WA licence copy
A good line has three parts: who gets it, what for, and when. Words like “copy” or “confidential” could sit on top of any misuse. A line naming one lease, one employer or one booking makes every other use stand out. The same three parts work on an interstate card, and the VIC drivers licence watermark page has lines for a Victorian one. Our watermark pages for Queensland, South Australian, ACT, Tasmanian and Northern Territory licences suggest lines for those cards.
Copy for Jones Street lease application only · October 2026
Copy for FIFO site induction only · October 2026
Copy for campervan hire, Perth Airport pick-up only · October 2026
Copy for car loan application only · October 2026
For a rental, use the street rather than the agency’s name. In a tight market you might apply through one agency for several homes, and only the street links a copy to a single property. WA Consumer Protection’s bulletin on data security in real estate tells property managers to destroy or de-identify applicant details once they’re done, and a street on the copy makes it easy to ask about that one file. Property managers on the other side of the desk can see how Nonimo works for a real estate agency.
Make a new copy for every request instead of reusing one. Each file then belongs to one recipient, and a stray copy is easy to trace. If the same request wants your passport as well, our passport copy watermark guide uses the same three-part line, and when a Medicare card is the second ID, our Medicare card watermark guide shows where the line goes on that card. Plenty of FIFO workers fly in on an interstate licence, and if yours is from New South Wales, the NSW drivers licence watermark guide has lines written for that card.
Choosing a layout, and where the line sits
Put the watermark across your details, never in a margin, because a margin is the first thing a crop takes away.
“Diagonal” is the default: one line across the card that you can drag over your details.
“All over” repeats it across the whole card, through the photo, name and numbers, with no clean strip to trim off. Pick it for an agency, a hire desk, an app you haven’t used before or anyone who will keep the file on record.
“Horizontal” keeps it to one straight line, so most of the card stays easy to read. It suits someone you already deal with and trust, such as your payroll officer or your accountant. None of the layouts hides anything from the recipient, so the copy still does its job, and “Customise your watermark” lets you adjust the size, opacity, font, colour and angle.
When a watermark isn’t the whole answer
Where the Privacy Act applies, the OAIC’s tenancy guidance limits an agency to collecting what is reasonably necessary, and a watermark keeps what they do collect tied to one purpose.
If your licence details have already leaked, a watermark won’t fix that: Transport WA’s identity security page covers replacing the card, which brings a new card number, or blocking DVS checks. Nor will it pull back a photo of the card you’ve already given a chatbot, so it’s worth knowing how long ChatGPT and other AI tools keep an uploaded photo.
Whole documents are a job for the Nonimo app, on your Mac or Windows computer.
Common questions
What should the watermark on my WA licence copy say?
Who receives it, the reason, and the month. For instance: Copy for FIFO site induction only, followed by the month and year. A line that specific fits one purpose, so if the file is ever reused elsewhere, the watermark shows it wasn't meant for that. A single generic word gives you far less to point to.
Should I watermark the front, the back or both?
Only what you've been asked for. Transport WA lists the front with your name, address, photo, signature, date of birth and expiry, while the back carries the card number, conditions and a repeat of your birth date and expiry. Plenty of requests are happy with the front. If both are wanted, add both: on a computer they come out as one PDF.
Does a WA property manager have to check my ID?
Not according to WA Consumer Protection, which says property managers aren't obliged to verify a rental applicant's identity, although it may suit their client. If an agent still asks for your licence, a watermark naming the property ties that copy to the one application it was sent for, without hiding anything they need to read.
Can I ask an agent to delete my licence copy afterwards?
It's a fair request. WA Consumer Protection says property managers should destroy or de-identify personal information once they no longer need it, and notes that businesses covered by the Privacy Act must also follow the Australian Privacy Principles. Asking by email gives you a record, and the watermark still helps if the copy lingers, because it names who it went to.
Is a watermark enough if my licence was in a data breach?
No, it only marks copies you send from now on. For details already out there, Transport WA points to a new card, which comes with a new card number, or a block added in DoTDirect, which makes Document Verification Service checks on your licence fail until you lift it. A block doesn't affect your right to drive.
Can I send the ServiceWA digital licence instead of a photo?
Not at the moment. A digital licence is coming to the ServiceWA wallet, with the WA Government aiming for the end of 2027 after a trial from mid-2027, and it will be optional. For now, any copy you send is a photo or scan of the plastic card, which is why marking it with the recipient is worth doing.
Why include the month in the watermark?
It dates the copy. A licence image that turns up a year later, attached to an application you never made, and still marked with the month you sent it, is easy to spot as reused. The tool fills in the current month and year for you, so the only edit worth making is the recipient and the reason, and a new copy each time keeps the dates honest.
Which format should I download, PNG, JPG or PDF?
Whichever the form accepts. PDF suits an email or a portal that asks for documents, JPG keeps the file small and PNG keeps the text crisp. In every format the watermark is part of the image, and the file carries no metadata, so your phone's camera details and location stay behind.