Digital versions of driver's licences, warrants of fitness and vehicle registration are on the way, changing how motorists will prove they are allowed on our roads.
NZTA has been working with its Australian counterparts to develop New Zealand's digital schemes after legislation was passed in Parliament last week, bringing the move a step closer.
Digital driver licences are on the way, with motorists soon able to (optionally) ditch their plastic cards in favour of their phones.
The new legislation also enables "digital alternatives" to the display of warrants of fitness and registration labels, usually stuck on windscreens.
So how will the scheme actually work? Here's what we know.
How they'll work
As the legislation allowing their implementation has only just passed through the House, there are still gaps in the picture, but there's much that we do know.
A spokesperson for Transport Minister Chris Bishop told 1News that more detailed rules were being developed before the scheme could be introduced. They said public consultation was expected in the second half of this year.
Meanwhile, NZTA is working on the design and implementation details with a spokesperson describing them as "securely stored on the user’s device".
They would also be aligned with the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework, the legal framework for digital identity services in New Zealand.
The spokesperson said it would "facilitate easy access to public and private services online and in-person".
The agency is developing the system with Austroads, Australia’s association of transport and traffic agencies, of which NZTA is a member. A spokesperson said the solution was "on track for deployment" and could be rolled out by the end of this year.
According to a ministerial briefing released under the Official Information Act in June last year, Austroads engaged with digital wallet providers to enable digital licences to be issued to users.
In December last year, the Govt.nz app was launched, advertised as a "one-stop shop" for Government service information. The digital.govt.nz website said digital licences would eventually be stored on the app.
In March, the minister then responsible for digitising government, Judith Collins, announced Kiwis would be able to store and present accredited digital credentials issued by government or private-sector organisations on the app.
Meanwhile, the separate NZTA app already allows users to store their licence details, but it cannot be used as a replacement for physical cards when driving.
WoF and Rego sticker changes
The new laws also enable "digital alternatives" to the display of warrants of fitness and registration labels on windscreens.
When the bill was making its way through Parliament, Associate Transport Minister James Meager said digitising the labels would "do away with a paper-based system". He described putting a registration sticker on a vehicle's windscreen as “just annoying”, and “a waste of time”.
Currently, motorists can be fined $200 for driving without, or with an out-of-date, WoF and/or licence label. Driving without a current Certificate of Fitness label for commercial vehicles can result in a $600 fine.
As with driver's licences, police – who largely enforce these rules – already have access to this information. The NZTA app also includes details for warrants of fitness, road user charges, and vehicle registrations.
What happens if you get pulled over
Getting pulled over by the police likely won't change much. Officers already have electronic access to driver's licences, WoF and rego records for situations like traffic stops.
Inspector Peter McKennie told 1News NZTA had discussed digital driver's licences with police.
In an OIA release from December 2025, NZTA said work around law enforcement procedure was still "under development".
It is currently illegal to use your phone while driving, even when stopped in traffic or at red lights.
Privacy concerns
The Transport Minister said privacy and security safeguards had been a "key focus" throughout the process of passing legislation.
"Strong protections remain in place, with statutory obligations under the Privacy Act continuing to apply and existing contractual requirements protecting personal information,” Bishop said.
Similar schemes overseas
Digital licences have been a part of daily life in New South Wales since 2019.
They are stored on the state’s service app and accepted at most pubs and clubs, as well as by state police. They work offline and are protected by security measures like PINs, fingerprints, and facial recognition.
Users simply present their digital licence to officers and checkers, just as they do with a plastic card. To check its validity, officials can scan a QR code on the licence or check its features. Drivers don't need to hand their phone to the person checking their licence.
The state's government does warn that digital licences aren't a replacement for physical ones, so it recommends drivers carry a backup.
It is still illegal for motorists to access their digital licence while driving, including while stationary. They can only pull them out when an officer asks them to.
In 2023, four years after they were introduced, the NSW Government said 4.4 million motorists had adopted digital licences – 75% of motorists in the state. The digital version can be used across NSW and is now "broadly accepted" in other states.
In Europe, where several countries have adopted digital licences, it works in a similar way.
In Austria, the licence is available in the country’s government app, alongside other official documents.
Icelandic drivers can request a digital version, which is then issued as a file and stored on the Apple Wallet app, or a third-party app for Android users.
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