The New Zealand Geotechnical Database (NZGD) API is a service provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) on behalf of the Crown.

MBIE has appointed an Administrator to support the delivery and management of the API.

The NZGD Terms of Use and this API Use Policy (together the Terms) govern your access to and use of the NZGD API. For the avoidance of doubt, the defined term “NZGD” in the Terms of Use includes this external API software and functionality. MBIE may amend this Policy from time to time. Your use of the API is subject to the latest Policy published on the NZGD API Developer Portal.

It is important that you and your Organisation understand the NZGD Terms of Use. In particular:
• Clause 2 (regarding the Purpose of NZGD)
• Clause 3 (regarding the your relationship with MBIE and the system Administrator)
• Clauses 5 & 6 (regarding your use of NZGD software and NZGD data)
• Clauses 7, 8 & 10 (regarding your obligations and the licencing of data you upload to NZGD)

NZGD API Policies

1. Access Requirements
   1. Approval of general access to the NZGD is a pre-requisite for an Organisation’s API access.
   2. Each organisation is required to appoint, or already have an appointed, an Organisation Point of Contact within NZGD (see About Organisation Points of Contact PoC).
   3. The NZGD Administrator has the authority to approve or reject API access applications as part of the Administrator functions ascribed by MBIE.
2. Fair Use Policy
   1. The NZGD API is a shared resource for the benefit of all API users. Your use of the NZGD API must be fair, reasonable, and not excessive.
   2. The API service has a rate limit set at 300 requests per 5 minutes (request count resets each 300 seconds). Contact the Administrator if you have a specific use case that is not compatible with this rate limit and would like to discuss.
   3. The Administrator reserves the right to amend the rate limit or block requests as necessary to maintain system performance and meet operational objectives.
3. API Accounts and Communication
   1. Each organisation is permitted only one API account. Sharing API keys or credentials with other organisations or users outside of your organisation is strictly prohibited.
   2. Changes to NZGD data made through the NZGD API will be associated with the organisation's registered API account email address.
   3. You acknowledge and agree that your organisation’s email address registered for the API will be used for communications from the Administrator concerning records that are created or amended through the API.
   4. You must monitor email communication to your organisation’s API user email, which may consist of NZGD system-generated emails as well as emails from the NZGD Administrator and data auditor, and take appropriate action in line with the Terms of Use.
   5. If the Administrator becomes aware of API use potentially contravening these the Terms, the Organisation Point of Contact (Org POC) will be contacted by email to notify of the issue and (depending on the nature of the breach) seek compliance with these Terms moving forward.
   6. Notwithstanding clause 9(e), any actions using your organisation’s API account in contravention with the Terms may result in immediate revocation of your API access at the sole discretion of the Administrator.