Technical resources
Explore the building blocks for trusted digital credentials in Aotearoa.
This section brings together key technical information, guidance and resources to support organisations exploring, planning or implementing trusted digital credentials.
Explore by topic
Find technical resources relevant to your role, use case or area of interest.
Government wallet
Information on the New Zealand Government digital wallet, how it works and how to connect.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
Learn about New Zealand’s digital identity infrastructure and the wider ecosystem.
Trust Framework and Governance
Guidance on rules, trust compliance and governance for trusted digital credentials in New Zealand.
Credential Types and Namespaces
Information on credential types, namespaces and data models.
Standards and Specifications
Key standards used in the digital credentials ecosystem.
Patterns and Reference Architectures
Common patterns, architectures and design considerations.
Identity and Biometrics
Information on identity proofing, biometrics and assurance levels.
Verifier (Relying Party)
Guidance for organisations that need to verify digital credentials.
Implementation and Operations
Practical information to help plan, build and operate solutions.
Namespaces, in plain terms
A namespace is an agreed, named set of data elements, so that a field like family name or age over 18 means exactly the same thing wherever a credential is presented. Shared namespaces are what let one wallet work with many issuers and verifiers without a custom integration for each.
In ISO mdoc credentials
ISO/IEC 18013-5 (mobile driving licence) and ISO/IEC 23220 group data elements under a namespace identifier, such as org.iso.18013.5.1 for the driving licence elements. Countries and sectors can add their own namespaces for extra elements.
In W3C Verifiable Credentials
The same job is done by credential types, JSON-LD contexts and vocabularies, which define each term and its meaning. Verifiers check the type and context, then read only the claims they need.
Why it matters for interoperability
When issuers reuse the same namespaces, wallets display credentials consistently and verifiers can request individual elements, which is what makes selective disclosure such as over 18 without a birth date work across providers.
Before you issue
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Name the credential type you will issue or verify
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Map each field to an existing namespace element
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Document any new elements with clear definitions and formats
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Coordinate new namespaces through the TCA Group before issuing at scale
How New Zealand organisations should approach it
Reuse an existing international or New Zealand namespace before defining a new one. Map your data to its elements, document any additions, and coordinate new namespaces through the Trusted Credentials Adoption Group so others can rely on them.
Namespace guidance for Aotearoa is being developed through the Trusted Credentials Adoption Group with expert input. This section will grow as the guidance is agreed.
How to use these resources
Whether you are just getting started or ready to implement, these resources can help.
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Learn
Build your understanding of how digital credentials work and what’s involved.
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Explore
Dive into the topics most relevant to your use case or role.
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Apply
Use the guidance and technical information to plan your next steps.
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Get support
Connect with the YourID community for further guidance.
Need more information?
Get in touch with the YourID team or explore how these resources apply to your organisation.