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We run a business in New Zealand which provides services to the New Zealand legal system. As a result, we need to verify the drivers license of any new clients we take on.

These new clients call in (we're one of two providers) and ask to be taken on as new clients. Typically, they're looking for a setup process that is as smooth and easy as possible.

We're currently asking them to read their license details to us over the phone, and we're recording it and trusting that it's accurate. We will need to get a more robust system in place within the next few months, due to changes in legislation.

We were thinking that the best way could be to get the client to take a photo of their license and send it to us.

What software/webapps could we use to easily get photos from clients? We don't want them to have to go to our website to submit the photo.

We've already considered:

  • Using Facebook Messenger (people may not want to message a judicial provider on Facebook; some people don't have Facebook)
  • Using texting (MMS) to send and receive messages and pictures (we haven't been able to find a NZ provider that will offer SMS + MMS + the ability to receive SMS and MMS)
  • Email (a lot of the people we deal with don't have email)
  • Fax (even though no one uses fax).

If required, we could build a 'stack' - e.g. try SMS → try Facebook Messenger → try email, etc.

Software/webapps should be:

  • Usable from a desktop computer
  • Shouldn't cost the recipient too much (eg using a US SMS service will be costly for our clients, if they're sending photos to an international number)
  • Fairly quickly accessible while on a phone call (with a headset).
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  • If the client will anyway be using the browser to do this, why can't they do it on your website? What would be the difference between going to your website vs going to a website that we'll suggest?
    – aBochur
    Commented Feb 7, 2018 at 1:28
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    Well, you can get them to provide a license. But, what does that prove? And what does that pending legislation require of you? Here's mine ... drivingtests.co.nz/resources/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/…
    – Mawg
    Commented Feb 7, 2018 at 9:37
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    "we're required by law to verify their license matches the details they've provided us" - so, if I get hold of your license and a few things like date of birth, etc ... My question is whether you ever see the person and the license together, or only a license & some input on the web, never seeing a living person. If you don't see the person, then, IMO, all else is just security theatre. Try describing your system and the legal requirements on security.stackexchange.com and see what they say there
    – Mawg
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 7:13
  • Sorry, I don't mean to be unhelpful, but I suspect that you might have problems larger than "what software should we sue?"
    – Mawg
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 7:15
  • Seems clearer )+1). I still see security holes, but they may not be your problem :-) Bear in mind also, that not everyone has a smartphone. But I am still unclear as tow hat problem you are trying to solve, "We're currently asking them to read their license details to us over the phone, and we're recording it and trusting that it's accurate" - there's not much on a license to lie about - name, address, d.o.b, picture, license # ...
    – Mawg
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:04

1 Answer 1

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One of the easiest solutions is probably Google Forms.

Set up a form that asks for a name, phone number, picture (Google Form now has a file upload feature)

Set a very simple URL redirecting to this form, so that you can convey it reliably and quickly over the phone.

Have your operators check the uploaded files.

Here is an example form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdW63XIB36c3Ck1BYEP-gItVqFU3PcNDM3ejFs8YyjahJhGVA/viewform
As you can see, there is no need to login, and no email address is needed.

  • Free
  • Usable on mobile
  • Almost never down
  • Unfortunately, requires customers to have a Google account and log in with it

Google Forms file upload

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  • Interesting idea - we could create a super simple URL that resolves to the form... ideally we'd like to make it simpler than this for the clients, but this could be a good fallback!
    – user29357
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 2:13
  • I agree that Google Forms seems to be the perfect solution, but please consider the data safety of using a system like this? What if the google drive account that is being used for that form get's hacked.
    – Sonamor
    Commented Feb 14, 2018 at 8:24
  • @Sonamor: You are right that the system getting hacked would have horrible consequences. But this is inherent to the question, and any solution will have this problem.
    – Nicolas Raoul ♦
    Commented Feb 15, 2018 at 4:33
  • @Sonamor - if the account was hacked, we'd have more problems than just data safety. Everything we use runs on the Google platform, so the very prospect is chilling.
    – user29357
    Commented Mar 4, 2018 at 22:56
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    @user29357 As we are not aware of your IT background, the comment was made to point out the perspective of hacking, rather than move you away from this really good answer/solution! Apologies if this was not obvious as English is not my native language.
    – Sonamor
    Commented Mar 5, 2018 at 8:46

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