A Melbourne man who identifies as a member of a parody religion has had his Victorian driver's licence photo taken with a spaghetti strainer on his head.

Benjamin Ady, a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, went to VicRoads in Carlton at about 1pm on Wednesday for a licence renewal wearing the kitchen item.

Members of the church - known as Pastafarians - say they wear the colanders as religious headwear.

Counter staff at VicRoads found the colander claim strained credibility and initially refused his request, in what he describes as a "traumatic experience".