Government App Programme
The Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) has begun work on an app that will improve the way New Zealanders interact with government.
About the Govt.nz app
The Govt.nz app will provide a:
- secure way for agencies to communicate with New Zealanders
- safe digital wallet to hold accredited digital credentials
- direct way to access government services and make payments.
The app prioritises usability, security and privacy for all users and will always be optional to use.
Download the app
The app works on most modern iOS and Android devices. No account is needed.
You can download the app for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
A digital wallet to hold information securely
The app now includes a digital wallet that enables people to securely store and use digital credentials, accredited under the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework.
Digital credentials will be available to add to the wallet as they’re progressively released in New Zealand from mid .
This will include credentials from government agencies and accredited private sector providers – for example, a digital driver licence.
Trust Framework for Digital Identity — Department of Internal Affairs
A simpler way to access government services
People can access simplified, app-friendly services and save their most-used ones to their dashboard.
More government services are being connected in the app, progressively over time.
An optional way to access government services
We know there are people who cannot or do not want to access services digitally.
Government agencies are responsible for ensuring people can access services in a range of ways, and will continue to do so. Use of an All-of-Government app will always be optional.
Timeline and priorities
The Govt.nz app is a priority for the government and the Public Service Commission.
We have set ambitious targets for the delivery of this work and expect it will be developed and released in stages.
Initial areas of focus
- App foundation — building the base government app, including content about government services.
- Notifications and secure messaging — allowing government agencies to provide notifications over time to people through a secure channel rather than insecure text messages or email.
- Digital wallet — a trusted wallet for people to hold their accredited digital credentials, including those issued by government.
- Digital identity credentials — digital credentials issuance to support government credential deployment to the app.
Current releases
Version 2.0 of the Govt.nz app is available on Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. The Government Credential Issuance Platform is released.
Current functionality for the app includes:
- Core app available (iOS and Android)
- Access to government services and information
- Secure digital wallet
- Emergency management updates and alerts (initial capability, in-app only).
Upcoming services
- Digital credentials become accredited and begin to be issued and added to wallet, progressively from mid .
- Secure messaging and notifications between agencies and users, with initial agency onboarding from .
- More government services integrated into the app, including emergency management services and alerts and Find my IRD number by .
Progress updates
- — Version 2.0 of the Govt.nz app is released, with the new digital wallet. The Government Credential Issuance Platform is released, allowing all government agencies to issue digital credentials directly into the wallet. This all-of-government solution will reduce duplication and ensure better value for money.
- — Version 1.0 of the Govt.nz app is released. It’s available for download from both the Apple and Google Play stores.
- — Vendor selected to build the credential issuance platform. This is a GDDA-managed shared platform for the issuance of secure, standards-based digital credentials by NZ government agencies. See: Making it faster, easier to issue digital credentials — Beehive
- — Request for Proposal (RFP) for credential issuance platform released to the market via Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS).
- — Initial user research carried out.
- – Requestion for information (RFI) for credential issuance platform released to market via GETS.
Insights and research
Read highlights from preliminary user research into an All-of-Government app with a secure notification service, conducted in .
Initial app insights and user research
Contact us
Contact the Government App Programme with any questions or feedback.
Email: GovernmentApp@dia.govt.nz
Utility links and page information
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