Launch of government app brings New Zealand one step closer to mDLs

The New Zealand Transit Agency (NZTA) has launched a trial phase of the app that will host New Zealand’s mobile driver’s licenses, and wants citizens’ feedback, according to a government release.

Judith Collins, the minister for digitizing government, has pitched the app as a unified platform for drivers to access government services. In addition to mDLs, it will enable drivers to pay vehicle registration and road usage charges, and display expiry dates for cars’ Warrants of Fitness. A planned update will add toll payments and safety ratings to the app.

“I want to encourage New Zealand drivers to help us with testing this new app,” Collins says. “Your engagement and feedback will help greatly improve functionality of the services and information available before a version is released to app stores in coming months.”

In a profile in Reseller News, Minister Collins, who supported NZTA in seeking accreditation under the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act 2023, calls New Zealand’s Digital Drivers License program “an important step towards digitizing government, which will ultimately lead us to better digital services and better outcomes for the public.” The government is hoping the app will cut out unnecessary bureaucracy in the interest of making services more accessible.

In pursuing her remit to lead digital transformation of public services, Collins cites digitization efforts in the Australian state of New South Wales as a model to follow (“as opposed to the rest of Australia”), praising how it enables customers to engage and transact with government through digital channels. She notes the need to focus on achievable actions in New Zealand, given the government’s instructions to find cost efficiencies in tandem with innovation. The chief digital officer’s mandate includes strengthening foundations by getting more agencies on to cloud services, addressing AI, overseeing digital investment, and enabling the safe use of government data.

Mobile driver’s licenses are seeing adoption across continents, as governments pursue digital transformation efforts en masse, and businesses seize the market opportunity. Kiwis interested in testing their own version may also wish to provide feedback on New Zealand’s draft rules for the use of biometrics, which is also currently open to public input.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF)  |  driver's license  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  mobile app  |  New Zealand