To enable NFC functionality in your wallet passes, you’ll need an NFC certificate. This is a requirement specific to Apple and is not needed for Google Wallet, as PassKit handles NFC certificate provisioning for Google Wallet.
Apply for an NFC Certificate
You’ll need to apply for an NFC certificate through Apple’s Developer Program. This involves submitting a request via the Apple Developer portal (login required).
Answering Apple's Additional Questions
After submitting your NFC Certificate Request, Apple will request further details. While you can proceed with the application even if you don't yet have all the answers (like specific reader hardware), providing comprehensive information significantly increases the likelihood of approval. Here's a breakdown of the questions and how to approach them:
What is the website of your company? Provide the full URL of your company's website (e.g., https://passkit.com).
How many years has your company been in business? State the number of years your company has been operating. If your company is new, be honest and explain your plans.
What is your nature of business? Briefly describe your company's primary business activities (e.g., Retail, Restaurant, Event Ticketing, Loyalty Program Provider). Be specific.
In what country do you/will you conduct a majority of your business? Indicate the country where your company primarily operates or plans to operate.
How many merchants do you already work with? State the number of merchants you currently work with with. If you're an agency or a platform, this refers to your client merchants. If you are the merchant, you can answer "N/A" or share your number of locations.
How many merchants/prospective merchants do you plan to have this deployed with in the first year of receiving entitlement? Provide an estimated number of merchants you anticipate using Apple VAS within the first year after approval. Be realistic but also show ambition.
Do you currently have an engagement (loyalty, gift, membership, CRM) program deployed? Is it in-house or through an integration/partnership? Specify whether you have an existing customer engagement program. Indicate if it's managed internally or through a third-party integration/partnership.
If your engagement program is through integration/partnership - who is it with? Is the integration complete or in-progress? If you use a third-party platform, provide the name of the company and state whether the integration with Apple VAS is finished or still in development.
How many terminals which will support Apple Value Added Services are currently deployed today? State the number of NFC-enabled terminals you currently have in the field that are compatible with Apple VAS. If you're just starting, this number would be zero.
Are you enabling NFC for new or existing passes? Indicate whether you're adding NFC functionality to newly created passes or to passes that have already been issued.
If existing passes, what is the total amount of passes your team has issued to date? If you're enabling NFC for existing passes, provide the total number of passes you've issued so far.
What is your Apple Developer Team ID? Provide your Apple Developer Team ID. You can find this in your Apple Developer account settings.
Are you the pass developer or are you working with one? If you are working with a pass developer, please list who they are and your main contact (Company Name, contact Name, Email) Specify that you are working with PassKit (a third-party pass provider) and share the following:
Company Name: PassKit, Inc.
Contact Name: Paul Tomes
Email Address: support@passkit.com
By providing clear and accurate answers to these questions, you'll streamline the approval process and demonstrate your readiness to implement Apple VAS effectively.
Wait for Approval
The Apple VAS approval process typically takes at least two weeks. It's crucial to factor this timeframe into your project planning to avoid potential delays. Before submitting your request, double-check that your implementation adheres to Apple's guidelines. Non-compliant use cases can significantly prolong the approval process or lead to rejection.
If you haven't received a response within two weeks, we recommend contacting your Apple Developer Relations Manager for a status update. If you're still unable to get a response after contacting your Developer Relations Manager, please reach out to us, and we'll do our best to assist you.
Generate and Add Certificate to PassKit
Once approved, add your NFC enabled certificate to your PassKit account by following these steps.