Kiwa eLicense: Simple, reliable and secure

Engineers, pilots, taxi drivers, security and healthcare workers and other professionals are currently demonstrating their competence with a paper or plastic permit or certificate. They have to periodically renew this certificate of personal competence at an independent certification body. One can think of medical certificates or digital driving license. Kiwa developed the new e license platform to make this process easier and to give employers and clients more insight into the competences of their employees. With the secure e-licenses that are created with this platform, professionals can easily demonstrate that they are qualified using their own smartphone.

Why an e-license?

The eLicense is the logical successor to physical certificates and permits. Advantages of a digital licence that professionals can install on their own smartphone include:

• Practicality: Many professionals regularly have to demonstrate their competences ‘in the field’. With an e license, the professional does not need to bring a separate permit or certification document: everything needed is on the smartphone;
• Enforcement efficiency: Employers and authorities want to be able to check a certificate or permit regularly for validity. With an eLicence they can easily check whether a certification or permit is still valid. After all, as soon as a certificate is revoked for whatever reason, this is immediately indicated on the eLicence;
• Evidence of compliance: Employers may be required to periodically check that certified professionals' qualifications are still valid (not expired, not withdrawn). An e licence ensures quick and easy verification, online and offline. Such an obligation usually also entails that verifications are registered, so that the employer can have 'proof of compliance' afterwards. Kiwa can log and store this data for the customer;
• Digital access card: E-licenses on a smartphone can also replace traditional access cards and 'tags' for buildings. The access rights of an employee can be placed on the e license, after which the employee can simply hold his phone against an NFC sensor at doors or entrance gates. The e license can be used in the same way to access computer systems and other business facilities to which traditional cards currently provide access.

Tight security

The critical success factor in the use of digital licenses is information security. Especially when it concerns special personal data, including for example medical data. Kiwa's eLicense platform and smartphone apps will meet eIDAS Level High (Stork 4) security standards, the most stringent information security level apart from military-grade security.

Kiwa is supervised by public bodies (including the Dutch government Human Environment & Transport Inspectorate and the civil aviation organization EASA) and by independent third parties from the private sector (including the British Standards Institution). This allows Kiwa to demonstrate transparently to the outside world that it is compliant with applicable legislation and information security standards.

Due to the high security requirements that Kiwa sets for its platform, the e license service is also attractive for other organizations that want to provide their licensees, certificate holders, employees or end users with a secure eLicense. Like for instance a mobile driving license.

Kiwa’s e-licensing services complies with relevant industry standard ISO/IEC 18013-5.

‘Practice what you preach’

As an organisation that which operates on behalf of the Dutch government, Kiwa will also gradually provide its own database of approximately 700,000 license holders in the civil aviation, road transport and seafaring sector with an e-license. Initially, the digital license will serve as a supplement to the current paper or plastic license, but eventually the e-license is expected to replace the traditional license entirely. Since the e-licenses that Kiwa issues to its own licensees must also meet the highest security requirements, it is of great importance to Kiwa that the platform works properly and that its use is safe.

What can Kiwa do for you?

Kiwa is happy to discuss the options available to effectively achieve the social or business goals of your organization with an eLicence. This could include:

• Kiwa can explore with you whether, and if so, when, it is interesting for your organisation to use an e-license solution. The interests of all stakeholders are mapped out, such as the organisation, the users, the government and possibly industry associations;
• Kiwa can help your organisation determine which information security requirements your eLicense, e-permit or e-pass should meet. Not all e-license applications need to be secured at the highest level in order to meet the social requirements and legal obligations that apply to the organisation in question.

More information?

Would you like to know more about Kiwa e-licensing or meet us for more information? Contact us via the contact form or call our specialist: +31 (0)6 29 06 34 42.