Govt.nz app's digital IDs are due this month, six months after the minister's end-of-March promise
Digital licences and IDs are due in the Govt.nz app this month, according to the Government's own timeline. The official govt.nz page says credentials are expected in the app's wallet "from October 2026".
In March the timetable looked different. On 23 March, 1News reported that Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins said a digital wallet would roll out in the app by the end of that month. A new government platform for issuing credentials was to go live at the same time. 1News reported that the platform would let all government agencies issue digital credentials directly into the wallet.
The govt.nz page doesn't say whether any credentials are live yet.
What users are being offered
The govt.nz page describes a wallet that keeps digital versions of licences, IDs and qualifications in one place on the phone. People choose which credentials to add. The credentials stay on the device, protected by its fingerprint or face recognition.
The idea is to share only what a situation needs. Proving you're over 18 shouldn't mean handing over your address. The page says users decide what they share and who sees it, online or in person. It also says a number of accredited issuers are developing credentials.
Using the app will be entirely voluntary, with existing channels remaining available, according to 1News.
The bar card and the law
The first credential is meant to be the Kiwi Access card, formerly the 18+ card. 1News reported that Hospitality NZ was working with the Department of Internal Affairs to make it the first accredited credential in the wallet, pending changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment Bill went to Parliament in March 2026. According to 1News, it would add accredited digital identity credentials to the list of approved proof-of-age documents. Whether it has since passed isn't covered by the govt.nz page or the 1News report.
That matters most to bars, bottle stores and event venues. Collins said customers would be able to show the card on their phone at the door, letting staff "confirm age eligibility quickly and securely without handling a physical card". Owners and duty managers should confirm the law has actually changed before they accept a phone instead of a physical card.
Driver's licences: no date
1News reported that driver's licences would "eventually" be able to be added to the app, without giving a date. Nothing in the official October timeline suggests licences are part of this month's release.
Collins also said the issuing platform would cut duplication across agencies and give better value for money. She gave no figures.
The app's other deadline
October isn't the app's only promised date. 1News reported in March that secure messaging was to be added by July 2026, so agencies could send things like vehicle registration reminders and travel advisories through the app. The wallet page carries no update on whether it arrived.