New Zealand’s Parliament has opened the door to digital driver’s licences, passing the Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill through its first reading.
The bill updates transport law to recognise digital formats for licences and inspection certificates. A nationwide rollout is expected by mid-2026.
“The option to have a digital driver’s licence is something many have pushed for. So we’re updating the law to allow this to happen,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the change a “common sense thing.”
The move received cross-party backing at first reading, with all six parties in Parliament supporting it. The shift will also apply to other transport credentials such as fitness and inspection certificates.
Officials say the change will streamline services, reduce paperwork, and eliminate postage costs for renewals. NZTA expects fewer manual steps and faster updates. Similar systems already operate in Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and several U.S. states.
Digital licences will be encrypted and stored within a phone’s secure hardware chip rather than in the cloud. According to RNZ, users will control when and how credentials are shared, with verification through apps and biometric authentication such as Face ID or fingerprints.
Parliament’s backing of digital licences hasn’t eased concern over privacy and exclusion. NZ First stated that “physical cards must remain available” and seeks penalties for digital-only practices. Privacy advocates cite “mission creep.” The government points to voluntary participation and security controls, but UK experience shows trust is harder to legislate.