Digital identity providers applying for accreditation in New Zealand must now use the current consolidated version of the country’s Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Rules 2024. The requirement applies to applications submitted from September 28, following a 90-day transition period for changes to the rules.
Applications filed on or before September 27 can continue under the previous rules. The distinction gives providers already in the process a separate path while new applicants submit evidence against the updated framework. The amendments took effect earlier in the transition period; September 28 marks the cutoff for new applications under the older version, not the start of the amended rules themselves.
New Zealand’s Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act 2023 established a legal basis for accrediting providers and the services they offer. The Trust Framework Authority, within the government digital delivery system, assesses applications and decides whether a provider or service meets the applicable requirements. Accreditation lets a successful provider offer its approved services under the framework and display a mark for each accredited service.
The authority evaluates four areas. It reviews the provider’s operational capability and the way the service manages identification. The identification assessment includes an independent evaluation against New Zealand’s identification standards and a demonstration of the service. Separate reviews address privacy obligations and security and risk management.
Applicants must provide evidence about both their organization and the specific services for which they seek approval. Accreditation lasts three years from the date it is granted. Providers are required to tell the authority about changes to key application information within five working days, so accreditation is not limited to a one-time assessment at application.
The process has become relevant to financial institutions as well as dedicated identity vendors. Westpac received accreditation for digital bank-account credentials, allowing those credentials to operate within the trust framework. New Zealand has also introduced a digital ID app for verification, part of a broader shift toward reusable digital evidence of identity.
The revised application threshold governs providers entering the accreditation process now. Existing applicants retain the route available when they filed, while new applicants must demonstrate compliance with the consolidated rules across provider operations, identification, privacy and security.
Sources: New Zealand Public Service Commission
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
