Help for individuals

How organisations use the government’s NZ Verify | Whakatūturu App to check your digital credentials and how your personal information is protected.

How the NZ Verify app works

The app means anyone can verify your digital identification, such as a mobile driver licence. Digital identification is called a ‘credential’.

The app is used in-person, your device is physically scanned by another device. The app can be used offline but needs to connect to the internet from time-to-time to update the information it uses.

Your credentials cannot be saved on the NZ Verify app — you’ll need a ‘wallet’ on your device to store your credentials, such as the wallet in the Govt.nz app.’

You still need to follow the laws about what type of credential you’re allowed to use in certain situations.

Step-by-step process

The person wanting to check your ID (the verifier):

  1. Downloads the NZ Verify app from Apple App store or Google Play.
  2. Opens the app on their device.
  3. Connects to your digital wallet by:
    • scanning a QR code displayed in your wallet, or
    • tapping to use an NFC connection.

The app:

  1. Checks and verifies your credential.
  2. Shows on screen that your credential is valid.
Example: using your overseas driver licence as ID

Lou wants to use their US mobile driver licence as their ID in NZ. The verifier uses the NZ Verify app to scan the wallet that holds Lou’s US driver licence on her phone.

The app checks Lou’s licence to make sure it’s real, comes from a trusted ID provider and is not expired or cancelled. The app shows on screen that Lou’s licence is valid.

Credentials NZ Verify can check

Your safety while using NZ Verify

Your information is not saved or stored

When the app scans your credential, it does not save or store your personal information. Screen shots and screen recording is blocked on the app, so the verifier cannot record your information.

The app cannot track you

The app does not allow you to be tracked and your information is not collected or sent anywhere.

What rules the app follows

Digital credential verifier tools like NZ Verify are not regulated in New Zealand. However, the NZ Verify app follows international standards and best practice for privacy protection.

The app will only trust credentials that have been accredited under the New Zealand Digital Identity Services Trust Framework rules, or overseas driver licences where the issuer had provided necessary information to allow their licence to be verified.

Give feedback about the app

If you have feedback about the NZ Verify app.

Questions and feedback

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