VicRoads achieves up to 80% industry-leading passkey activation rate for nearly 5 million users with Corbado
Background: VicRoads
VicRoads is the vehicle registration and driver licensing authority in Victoria, Australia. It registers over six million vehicles annually and licenses more than five million drivers.
Operating as a joint venture between the Victorian State Government, Aware Super, Australian Retirement Trust, and Macquarie Asset Management, VicRoads is a critical provider of public services in the state.
Challenge: seamless and cost-effective authentication for government services
VicRoads aims to become Australia’s most trusted digital government service providers by delivering secure, frictionless services to millions of people.
Given the importance of the data that VicRoads holds on behalf of its customers, security has always been a primary consideration.
In the past, to support protection of customer data, VicRoads mandated multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts via SMS one-time passwords (OTPs) and authenticator apps.
Passkeys leverage biometrics, facial recognition, a PIN or a swipe pattern in the sign-in process. Unlike traditional MFA, passkeys require both the device storing the private key and local authentication, meaning they are both phishing-resistant and cost-effective.
Solution: Corbado provides a no-risk, passkey-first solution with minimal integration effort
VicRoads worked with passkey vendor Corbado, prioritizing a proven approach rather than building a solution from scratch.
Corbado’s deep understanding of both customer experience and the latest authentication technology gave VicRoads confidence that customers would find using passkeys easy.
Corbado also provided in-depth technical guidance on passkey-specific challenges, including browser compatibility, recovery flows and user experience optimizations – further solidifying VicRoads’ confidence.
“We selected Corbado because it could integrate passkey functionality into our existing infrastructure without disruption to our customers and operations”, said Crispin Blackall, Chief Technology Officer, VicRoads.
Implementation: pre-built, passkey-optimized components & SDKs enable quick integration
Corbado Connect seamlessly integrated with VicRoads’ existing infrastructure and CIAM, which is deeply embedded within the organization’s enterprise stack. This passkey enablement was achieved without requiring a migration of user data or authentication methods, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition for millions of users.
By layering passkey functionality on top of VicRoads’ current authentication system, Corbado enabled a frictionless deployment while preserving all existing user credentials. This approach eliminated the disruption and risks often associated with introducing new technology.
To ensure a smooth transition, VicRoads implemented passkeys in a phased rollout, beginning with personal customers. This gradual deployment, supported by Corbado Connect’s rollout controls, enabled VicRoads to monitor performance, address potential issues and optimize the user experience before seamlessly extending passkey authentication to partner and business customers.
Results: customers love passkeys, with up to 80% passkey activation rate in the first weeks
Within the first weeks of deployment, passkey adoption significantly exceeded VicRoads’ expectations. Users embraced the phishing-resistant authentication method, benefiting from a frictionless login experience optimized for speed and security.
The exceptionally high passkey activation rate – peaking at 80% on mobile devices and over 50% across all platforms – led to 30% passkey login rate within the first seven weeks. Uptake continues to rise steadily, translating into measurable operational benefits, including:
- Reduced authentication-related support tickets
- Lower SMS OTP costs
- Improved user experience and security.
So far, VicRoads has successfully rolled out passkeys on its web portal. The next step is to integrate passkeys into its native apps – myVicRoads and myLearners – allowing users to leverage their existing passkeys without additional setup. Ultimately, once passkeys are fully implemented across all digital platforms, VicRoads aims to eliminate passwords entirely, maximizing security and fully embracing a passwordless future.
“Passkeys are easy to use, without compromising on security. We’re excited to give our customers a simpler, more secure way to handle their registration and licensing services,” said Crispin Blackall, Chief Technology Officer, VicRoads.
Opportunity: setting a new standard for government authentication
With one of the largest public sector passkey deployments globally, VicRoads has established itself as a digital leader in authentication modernization for government applications.
Achieving high adoption rates without disruption, VicRoads has proven that large-scale organisations can enhance security and improve user experience simultaneously. This success positions VicRoads as a benchmark for other government agencies looking to modernize their authentication strategies.
“Passkeys represent a paradigm shift in how we authenticate users to digital identity services,” said Andrew Shikiar, Chief Executive Officer of the FIDO Alliance. “VicRoads’ adoption of passkeys showcases how government agencies can leverage this industry-wide innovation to protect people’s data while simplifying access to critical services. This is a significant step towards a more secure and efficient digital future for Victoria and beyond.”
Next Steps: developing next generation authentication
VicRoads’ ongoing partnership with Corbado ensures it remains at the forefront of authentication innovation while maintaining a seamless user experience for its expanding digital service base. A key advantage of Corbado’s managed passkey service is its built-in adoption-enhancing optimisations, ensuring continuous improvements and seamless WebAuthn conformity with all future WebAuthn updates.
With this initiative, VicRoads has paved the way for broader adoption of passkeys in the government and public sector, proving that secure, frictionless authentication at scale is achievable.
About Corbado
Corbado is a leading provider of passkey solutions, enabling enterprises and government agencies to deploy passkey authentication seamlessly, without user migration. Corbado’s focus is on maximizing adoption in large-scale deployments. As a FIDO Alliance member, Corbado’s solutions ensure high adoption rates, enhanced security, and a frictionless user experience.
