Get free RATs (Rapid Antigen Tests)

To get free RATs as a concession card holder, you must hold one of these cards:

• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Health Care Card
• Low Income Health Care Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or Orange card.

You need either:

• your digital card in the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app
• your physical card.

Get or replace an eligible Commonwealth Concession card

If you’ve lost your card, find out how to:

• renew or replace your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• replace a lost or stolen Health Care Card
• replace a lost or stolen Low Income Health Care Card
• replace a lost or stolen Pensioner Concession Card.

You can find out more about how to manage Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold, White or Orange cards.

If you don’t have a card but think you might be eligible for one, read more about concession and health care cards.

People at risk of or experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic and family violence (DFV) can access RATs for free. If you have an Australian Government concession card (e.g. health care card or pension card), you can provide this. If you do not have an Australian Government concession card, tell staff you are at risk of or experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic and family violence.

Organisations providing support

If you are a member of an organisation providing support for people experiencing homelessness or domestic and family violence, you can access free RATs to distribute to people or clients you consider eligible. You can access free RATs for these people by doing the following:

• tell staff you are a member of your organisation collecting RATs for distribution
• show some form of identification for yourself and the organisation you work for
• show this web page to staff if they are unaware of your eligibility.

If you have arrived in Australia from the Ukraine from 1 December 2021, you can now access RATs for free. If you have an Australian Government concession card (e.g. health care card or pension card), you can provide this. If you do not have an Australian Government concession card, do the following:

• tell staff you recently arrived from the Ukraine
• show them your passport photo and stamp showing that you have arrived from the Ukraine since 1 December 2021
• show the Accessing free RAT kits for Ukrainians in Queensland fact sheet (PDF, 106.4 KB) to staff if they are unaware of your eligibility. This fact sheet has also been translated into Ukrainian (PDF, 123.1 KB) .

It does not matter what type of visa you are on so long as you provide the information listed here.

If you an asylum seeker, you can now access RATs for free. If you have an Australian Government concession card (e.g. health care card or pension card), you can provide this. If you do not have an Australian Government concession card, do the following:

• tell staff you are an asylum seeker
• show your passport or available documentation (such as a travel document, Immicard, visa evidence card, driver's license, IHMS card or student card)
• show the Accessing free RAT kits for asylum seekers without concession cards (PDF, 106.4 KB) fact sheet to staff if they are unaware of your eligibility.

It does not matter what type of visa you are on so long as you provide the information listed here.

If you are a worker under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, you can now access RAT kits for free. If you have an Australian Government concession card (e.g. health care card or pension card), you can provide this. If you do not have an Australian Government concession card, do the following:

• tell the staff you are a worker under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme
• show your passport and evidence of your Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (sublcass 403)
• show the Accessing free RAT kits for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility workers fact sheet (PDF, 107.2 KB) to staff if they are unaware of your eligibility.