The Victorian Carer Card (‘We Care’) program recognises the incredible work of unpaid carers of all ages, and the important contribution of foster and kinship carers, in our community.
The Victorian Carer Card provides unpaid carers, and foster and kinship carers, with:
- a Carer coded myki Card for concessional public transport across Victoria’s public transport system, including V/Line. This includes:
- 50% discount on public transport
- free weekend travel in any two consecutive zones
- free public transport during National Carers Week each year
- off-peak travel vouchers.
- discounts at thousands of participating businesses across Victoria, including eating out, shopping, leisure, recreation and fuel.
To be eligible for a Victorian Carer Card you must be a resident of Victoria and be either:
- the unpaid primary carer of a person with disability, chronic or terminal illness, mental health issues, or care needs due to older age
- a young person providing solo or joint care for a family member or friend with care support needs (as described above)
- a state registered kinship, foster, respite or permanent carer
- an informal kinship carer.
Professional carers who receive a wage or payment for providing care are not eligible for a Victorian Carer Card.
In most cases, the card will be issued to the carer who is the main provider of care, support and assistance, known as the primary carer.
However, in many circumstances care is shared by more than one person within the family, such as two parents sharing care, or a parent and young person within the family unit sharing care. In these circumstances, eligibility can be confirmed on the application form by an approved health provider.
Health providers work in various settings, including medical facilities, community organisations, and schools, which makes it easier for carers of all ages to apply for a Victorian Carer Card.
See Which health providers can confirm your eligibility for a Victorian Carer Card? for further information.
When applying for a Victorian Carer Card you must complete an application form and establish your eligibility by either:
- providing your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) linked to your Commonwealth-issued Carer Allowance or Carer Payment
- providing your Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Vendor Number linked to your Victorian Government-issued allowance as a foster, kinship, respite or permanent carer
- having an approved health provider verify your eligibility as a primary unpaid carer.
See Which health providers can confirm your eligibility for a Victorian Carer Card? for further information.
The following health providers can confirm your eligibility for a Victorian Carer Card:
- GP
- Nurse
- Social worker
- Psychologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Aboriginal health worker
- Mental health carer consultant
Any of the above health providers can verify you as a carer.
These health providers work in various settings, including medical facilities, community organisations, and schools, which makes it easier for carers of all ages to apply for a Victorian Carer Card.
It's easy and free to apply for the Victorian Carer Card.
You can use our online application form, download Victorian Carer Card application form (pdf, 160kb) or call the Victorian Carer Card team on 1800 901 958 and an application form will be sent to you.
Applications may take four to six weeks to process. Your eligibility will be checked before a card is issued to you.
Victorian Carer Cards are valid for either one, or five years, depending on the situation. For further information contact the Victorian Carer Card team on 1800 901 958.
Yes, the Victorian Carer Card is branded with the ‘We Care’ logo and is the same as the Victorian Carer Card.
No, the Victorian Carer Card is not the same as the Companion Card.
The Companion Card is for people with significant and permanent disability who have a lifelong need for high level of support to participate in community events and activities. The Companion Card is issued to the person with disability. Visit the Victorian Companion Card website for more information.
The Victorian Carer Card is issued to unpaid carers of all ages and backgrounds, or to registered foster, kinship, respite and permanent carers, and informal kinship carers, to recognise the invaluable support they provide within our community. Carers can use the card independently of the person under their care.
A primary carer, for the purposes of the Victorian Carer Card, provides substantial support and assistance to someone in need of care with activities such as:
- personal care
- household tasks
- mobility and transport
- making and attending appointments
- monitoring medication
- communication
- emotional support.
Primary carers can be of any age, culture or background. Caring is also often shared between family members or friends.
In Victoria, around 13 per cent of carers are young carers under the age of 25 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2024).
You do not need to be receiving a Commonwealth-issued Carer Allowance or Carer Payment to be considered a primary carer eligible for the Victorian Carer Card. Those who share the care role can also apply.
A state registered kinship carer is responsible for the care and well-being of a child or young person if they are unable to live with their own parents. You can use your Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Vendor Number linked to your Victorian Government-issued allowance to confirm your eligibility for the Victorian Carer Card as a registered kinship carer.
Kinship carers are usually relatives but may also be someone who has a significant relationship with the child, such as a friend of the family, or a neighbour.
Informal kinship carers can still apply for a Victorian Carer Card providing they have a health provider confirm their eligibility.
See Which health providers can confirm your eligibility for a Victorian Carer Card? for further information.
Foster carers are trained, assessed and accredited carers to provide temporary care to children up to 18 years of age who are involved with the child protection system. Victorian foster carers play a vital role in our community, providing a safe and nurturing home to children and young people who cannot live with their birth family.
Visit the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Foster Care webpage for more information.
Foster carers are eligible to apply for the Victorian Carer Card. You can use your Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Vendor Number linked to your Victorian Government-issued allowance to confirm your eligibility for the Victorian Carer Card as a registered foster carer.
Victorian Carer Card holders are eligible for a Carer coded myki Card, which provides a 50 per cent discount on travel, free weekend travel in any two consecutive zones, and free travel during Carers Week.
Visit the Public Transport Victoria Regional myki zone webpage to check your consecutive zone travel.
Victorian Carer Card holders may also be able to access two or four free off-peak travel vouchers per year (depending on where you live). Visit the Public Transport Victoria free travel vouchers webpage for more information and to register to receive your free travel vouchers.
For more information on transport concessions using your Carer coded myki Card visit the Public Transport Victoria website or call 1800 800 007 (6am - midnight daily).
The free travel voucher program is now paperless with more booking options to make it easier for those eligible for the free travel vouchers to redeem them.
You need to register with Public Transport Victoria to receive the free off-peak travel vouchers.
To access free travel vouchers annually, you must live in Victoria and hold either a:
- Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) (all codes) or
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) PCC or
- Victorian Seniors Card or
- Victorian Carer Card (‘We Care’) Card.
You can register for free travel vouchers under one of the above listed categories only.
Eligible metropolitan Melbourne residents receive two off-peak travel vouchers each year, while Victorians living in regional areas receive four.
Visit the Public Transport Victoria free travel vouchers webpage for more information on eligibility and how to register to receive the free travel vouchers.
For further information visit the Public Transport Victoria website or call 1800 800 007 (6am - midnight daily).
Many, but not all, listed participating businesses offer discounts to Victorian Carer Card holders.
Some participating businesses who joined prior to November 2019 may only provide discounts to Seniors Card holders.
Look out for the Victorian Carer Card ‘We Care’ Welcome Here sticker when out and about to find where the Victorian Carer Card is accepted.
No, the Victorian Carer Card is only available in Victoria and can only be used at participating businesses in Victoria.
Queensland has a Carer Card program, however, there are no reciprocal rights to use your card in Queensland.
For people residing in a South Australian or New South Wales border town with Victoria, you can apply for a Victorian Carer Card, if your residential address is in Victoria.
People who have a residential address in South Australia or New South Wales are not permitted to apply for the Victorian Carer Card.
Victorian Carer Card holders are automatically signed up to receive the e-Newsletter if you provided your email address when you applied or renewed your card.
Only Victorian Carer Card holders can receive this e-Newsletter, which is sent four times a year.
You can unsubscribe from the e-Newsletter by clicking on the 'Manage Subscription link' at the base of the e-Newsletter.