MINISTERIAL BRIEFING NOTE
Subject
Meeting with Apple and NZTA about Digital Driver Licences
Date
25 June 2025
1982
Briefing number
BRI-3367
ACT
Contact(s) for telephone discussion (if required)
Name
Position
Direct line
Cell phone
1st contact
Liz Maguire
Chief Digital Officer s 9(2)(a)
Action taken by Office of the Minister
INFORMATION
¨ Noted
¨ Seen by Minister
¨ Agreed
OFFICIAL
¨ Feedback provided
¨ Forwarded to
THE
¨ Needs change [please specify]
¨ Withdrawn
¨ Overtaken by events
UNDER
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BRI-3367
25 June 2025
Hon James Meager – Associate Transport Minister
Meeting with Apple and NZTA about Digital Driver Licences
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Purpose
1. This briefing provides you with an update on the col aborative work betwee
A
s 9(2)(b)(ii) ustroads
and NZTA to digitise driver licenses, in support of your upcoming meeting with Apple on 26 June
ACT
2025.
2. Liz Maguire, Chief Digital Officer at NZTA, will be attending the meeting.
Background and context section
Transition to digital licences
3. In line with the Government’s service modernisation objective, there is a significant opportunity
to digitise many of our services and interactions with the New Zealand public, including the
introduction of a digital driver licence (DDL).
INFORMATION
4. The transition to a DDL is a significant step toward modernising driver licensing. It aligns with
the broader Government digital credential and identity services ecosystem, led by the
Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF).
A DDL offers benefits of improved secure identity verification, including enhanced fraud prevention
and identity verification.
OFFICIAL
5. Enhanced Security and Fraud Prevention: DDLs use encryption so that personal details are kept
private, preventing forgery and reducing identity fraud. A DDL will be built to an ISO standard
THE
meaning that security requirements are kept up to date and ensuring interoperability across
markets.
6. Verified Authenticity: A DDL provides a secure digital identity credential that can be used in
person or online to confirm identity. It enables the holder to control the amount of data they
share with a third party (fo
UNDER r example a holder can prove they are over 18 without providing
their birth date). DIA has built the NZ Verifier App (launched in May 2025) which certifies digital
credentials as being issued by a legitimate authority. The NZ Verifier App will initially be used
for overseas driver licenses being used in New Zealand, but overtime will also be used for our
NZ DDL and other credentials (e.g. firearms licenses, master builder certification etc).
7. Privacy Control: Users can choose what information to share, unlike physical driver licences. For
example, for age verification, users can confirm legal age, without revealing their name, date of
birth or ot
RELEASED her personal information.
8. Convenience and Accessibility: DDLs can be used anywhere, anytime, and are compliant with
international standards. This makes them a trusted credential for various use cases, including
accessing secure services, voting, and age verification.
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9. Cost Efficiency: Reduces costs related to printing, issuing, and delivering physical licences.
Lowers frontline service demands, and improves responsiveness during crises (such as cyber
breaches, pandemics), as the DDL can be updated more quickly than a physical card.
NZTA App
10. NZTA launched the NZTA App (App) in August 2024. Over time it wil provide a one stop shop
for individual users with NZTA, helping them to keep on top of their transport admin in an easy
manner.
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11. The App is self-funding over five years by reducing cost to serve (as customers move to self-
service) and improved compliance.
ACT
12. Key features delivered: driver licence details, vehicle data (warrant of fitness, registration, and
road user charges), in-app bulk messaging. In development now are personal push notifications,
view and update contact details and native (in-app) Road User Charge (RUC) payments. The
feature map has been developed by targeting high volume and high-cost transactions.
13. Future enhancements will include the DDL, payments for tolling and speed infringements, re-
license a vehicle, change vehicle ownership, National Ticketing and Time of Use charging.
14. The App now has over 145,000 active users.
INFORMATION
15. The App will play a crucial role in the DDL initiative, enabling real time updates to driver licences
for better fraud protection and accessibility.
Current status
16. NZTA is co-designing a DDL solution in partnership with Austroads - Australia’s association of
transport and traffic agencies. Austroads has engaged with digital wallet providers (s 9(2)(b)(ii)
OFFICIAL
to enable the DDL to be issued to user’s digital wallets. To ensure broad
accessibility, the DDL solution needs to be compatible with both Apple and Android (Google)
platforms, noting that Apple has approximately 38 percent of the domestic mobile phone
THE
market. NZTA has been actively involved in the co-design discussions to ensure alignment with
NZ specific technical and policy requirements.
17. As part of this collaboration, NZTA has committed to considering the Austroads-led solution for
a NZ DDL. However, no decision has been made to prioritise or fund the implementation at this
stage. NZTA is required to confirm its position on the Austroads-led solution by the end of July
UNDER
2025 to support alignment and delivery planning.
18. Minister Collins has expressed strong interest in the DDL initiative, viewing it as a key step in
modernising government services and improving public outcomes.
19. NZTA is also actively collaborating with central government agencies on DDL co-design.
20. The Ministry of Transport is progressing the necessary legislative changes through the
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Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bil which is planned to progress through Cabinet
approvals in July. The Department of Internal Affairs has been involved to support integration
with New Zealand’s digital identity ecosystem. This cross-agency approach ensures the solution
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is future-proofed, secure, and aligned with the Governments’ broader digital transformation
objectives.
21. The DDL could be requested from a users’ digital wal et or initiated through the App. Launching
from the App would support NZTA’s wider digital engagement strategy and provide a consistent
user experience across services.
22. The current Austroads solution requires biometric verification (facial matching) at the point of
DDL issuance. s 9(2)(b)(ii)
.
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Next steps
ACT
23. A final assessment of the DDL solution is underway, with a recommendation to be presented to
NZTA’s Executive Leadership Team and Board in the coming weeks, noting that currently there
is no funding available in FY26 to cover the cost of implementation.
It is recommended that you:
1.
Note that contents of this briefing.
Yes / No
INFORMATION
...........................................................................
OFFICIAL
Liz Maguire
Chief Digital Officer
THE
UNDER
............................................................................
Hon James Meager – Associate Transport Minister
Date:
2025
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