Work and Development Order (WDO) sponsors

WDO sponsors support people in the community who can’t pay their fines to clear their debt and start fresh. 

Last updated: 08 April 2024

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Did you know?

Work and Development Orders (WDOs) have helped many people clear their debt and make a fresh start.

More than 87,000 people have participated in the WDO program in the last five years, clearing over $200 million of debt.

View the latest WDO data

Woman smiling sitting with a group

What is a WDO sponsor? 

A WDO sponsor supports people who are eligible to reduce their fine by up to $1,000 a month by doing unpaid work, courses, counselling, mentoring or treatment programs.  Find out more about WDOs and who is eligible.

A WDO sponsor is an approved organisation that supports people in their local area by helping them through the WDO process and applying on their behalf. A WDO sponsor can support a customer directly through their services or manage WDO activities they are completing for someone else.&

As a WDO sponsor, your role would include:

  • helping people find out if they are eligible or a WDO

  • working out which activities or work they should undertake

  • providing or supervising the activities or work undertaken under a WDO

  • keeping a copy of all WDO paperwork

  • submitting a monthly report on their progress

Looking for a WDO sponsor?

You can find one using our WDO Sponsor Finder:

Search for a WDO sponsor

Eligible organisations

WDO sponsors include:

  • government agencies,

  • non-government organisations (for-profit and not-for-profit) and

  • health practitioners.

Organisations must comply with the Work and Development Order Guidelines (PDF 380KB) to be eligible to be a WDO sponsor. The guidelines have more information about:

  • eligibility requirements

  • approved activities

  • rate per hour and more.

Legal Aid NSW has more information about the WDO sponsor application process including fact sheets for government agencies, non-government organisations and health practitioners.

Apply to be a WDO sponsor

You can apply to become a WDO sponsor online.

Apply to be a WDO sponsor now

What happens next?

Your application will be processed by Revenue NSW and the Department of Communities and Justice. During this time, you may be contacted for further information. 

The approval process takes around 4 weeks.

If your application is successful, you will receive a confirmation email with your log in details for the WDO self-service portal.

Accessing the WDO self-service portal

As an approved WDO sponsor, you can use the WDO self-service portal to manage the administration of a WDO including:

  • making an application

  • submitting documents

  • reporting progress and

  • closing the WDO on completion of the required activities.

Your login details including your username and temporary password will be emailed to you when your WDO application is accepted. You will be asked to set up a new password. 

Our WDO Self-Service Portal User Guide (PDF 3.65MB) has all the information you need about how to use the portal and support your customers with their WDO, including what documents you will need to keep and how to complete a WDO report.

If you’re a health practitioner

  • You will need to provide your AHPRA number and expiry date.

  • If you’re working with young people under 18 years of age, enter your Working with Children (WWC) check number and expiry date.

If you’re from an organisation

You will need to:

  • indicate if you’re willing to accept customers who have a Victim’s Restitution Order (VRO) debt

  • indicate if you provide services to people under 18 and if you do, enter your Working with Children (WWC) check number and expiry date for all users at your organisation

  • enter details of your insurance coverage including the policy number, expiry date and type of the policy that expires soonest. Types of insurance we require includes public liability, professional indemnity and voluntary workers (for voluntary unpaid work). 

Need help? Contact our WDO sponsor support team on 1300 478 879

Login to the WDO self-service portal

Okta verification

From 7 November 2023, you will need an Okta account to access the WDO self-service portal. Check your emails for more information and a “How To” guide, or watch a quick instructional video.

4:20

Getting started with Okta

How to register for Okta verification.

Read transcript
Video transcript

Getting started with Okta

Revenue NSW is implementing multi factor authentication for our customers through Okta. In this video, we will cover a variety of authentication methods. You can use the chapter feature in this video to skip to details on the verification method you prefer.
As a user of Revenue NSW Applications, you have been notified about the updates to the application you are using. You would have also received a registration email from Okta. Click on the Activate Okta Account button to begin the registration process.
Click on the Setup button to create your password. You will then be prompted to set up your password. You must ensure your password meets the listed requirements. Once you have successfully created your password, you will then be prompted to set up your authentication method.
Email is the default authentication method. However, you can choose from one of the following options. OktaVerify, Google Authenticator, or Phone. However, before you click on Setup for OktaVerify or Google Authenticator, you must ensure you have first installed the application on your smartphone.
When you are ready, click on Setup under your preferred method of authentication. If you choose Okta verify as your authentication method, you will need to open the application on your smartphone and follow the on screen setup instructions.
If you choose phone as your authentication method, you will first need to select the country your phone number is from using the drop down menu. You will then need to enter your phone number.
It is important that you exclude the country code, dashes or leading zeros if your country's phone system uses them. For example, If you're from Australia and you are entering your phone number, you would leave off the first zero, then enter the rest of your number.
Your next step is to click Receive a Code via SMS. This will trigger a unique code to be sent to your phone via SMS. Type in the unique code into the Enter Code field, then click Verify.
If you did not select one of the previous authentication methods, the next time you attempt to log in, you will need to verify your identity via either email or password.
If you select email, you will be directed to the Get a Verification Email screen, then click the Send Me an Email button. Once you have opened your verification email from Okta, you can click on Sign In.
Alternatively, you can click on the Enter a Verification Code Instead text, then enter the code provided in your verification email. Once you have successfully logged in using one of the authentication methods provided, you will be faced with the Okta application dashboard.
Click on the relevant tile to open the Revenue NSW application.

Exceptional circumstances

If you're supporting a WDO application under s5.5.4 of the WDO Guidelines (PDF 380KB) - Exceptions, you'll need to submit a WDO exceptional circumstances form (PDF 320.58KB), together with supporting documentation and details of any special circumstances or hardship.

You should only support a WDO application on the basis of exceptional circumstances if the applicant:

  • does not receive a Centrelink benefit
  • has household income above the threshold in the WDO Guidelines, and faces serious financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances which may include:
    • having significant, unavoidable expenses such as medical bills
    • not having access to the household income due to, for example, domestic violence or their age.

Contact us

Got a question or need help?

Call the Revenue NSW WDO team on 1300 478 879 Monday to Friday between 8.30am to 5pm. 

Sponsors can also use our online enquiry form or email us.

Feedback

To provide feedback on Revenue NSW services, complete our feedback form.

We have identified an issue when you submit your monthly client activity report. If you submit and see a blank screen or an error, please do not resubmit the report. Call us on 1300 478 879.

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