The 2026 identity code is in force. What changed

Vera
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Every check,
on the record.

AML/CFT compliance software for New Zealand law firms. Vera guides each client through due diligence and keeps an audit-ready record of every check.

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Illustrative client file. People, firm and data are fictional.

01

Why we built Vera

The answer is already on file.

Due diligence often lives in email threads, an ID app, a screening portal and a spreadsheet. When an auditor or DIA asks why a client was rated low risk, someone has to piece the answer back together. Vera keeps each check, its evidence and the reason for every decision in one place, as the work is done.

02

Product

One workflow, every check

Vera takes each new client from first instruction to a signed-off file, one clear step at a time.

  1. Identity verification

    Verify each person through the 2026 code pathway that fits, and record how it was done.

  2. Sanctions and PEP screening

    Screen clients, owners and people acting for them. Clear possible matches with a reason, not a guess.

  3. Ownership mapping

    Trace trusts, companies and partnerships to the people who own or control them, with every link sourced.

  4. Risk rating

    Rate each client with the factors behind it, and keep the rating under review, as the rules now require.

  5. Lawyer sign-off

    A named lawyer approves, escalates or declines. The reason stays on the file.

  6. Audit-ready record

    Every check is time-stamped and ready to export for your auditor or DIA.

Screens are illustrative. People, firms and data are fictional.

03

Regulation

The rules every client file has to meet

  1. 2018

    law firms became reporting entities under the Acti

  2. 3 years

    default time between independent auditsii

  3. 12 months

    maximum age of a certified ID copyiii

  4. >25%

    trust interest that makes a beneficial owneriv

i The regime has applied to lawyers and conveyancers since 1 July 2018. NZ Law Society. ii Three years unless DIA notifies a four-year timeframe. DIA AML/CFT FAQs. iii Under the Identity Verification Code of Practice 2026, in force 1 July 2026; previously three months. Summary by MinterEllisonRuddWatts. iv A vested interest of more than 25% in trust property. DIA AML/CFT FAQs.

Last checked: 8 November 2026. General information, not legal advice.

04

How we work

  1. Every check has a reason.

    Vera shows the rule behind each step, from the Act, the regulations or the identity code, so your team knows why.

  2. AI drafts. Lawyers decide.

    Vera reads deeds and company records and drafts the map and risk notes. Each suggestion cites its source. A lawyer signs off every file.

  3. If it isn’t recorded, it didn’t happen.

    Every step is logged as it happens: who did it, when, on what evidence and from which source.

05

Next steps

See it on a real matter

Bring a matter type you see often, like a family trust buying a home, and we’ll run it through Vera with you.

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Security, plainly

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