Application for membership can only be made through one of the disability support agencies participating in the scheme (an accredited agency). Accredited agencies are responsible for ensuring that the membership and photo ID application forms are completed correctly and returned to Environment Bay of Plenty. Any incomplete forms will be returned to the agency.

Environment Bay of Plenty does not charge an application fee to join the scheme. However, to meet their administration and assessment costs, agencies will either charge applicants a fee to join their organisation or charge a one-off fee for the assessment. Any fees required to meet an agency’s costs are paid directly by the applicant to the agency.

Environment Bay of Plenty does charge $6.50 to meet the cost of producing the photo ID card. In addition to this fee the applicant is required to provide the assessor with a recent head-and-shoulders, passport size photograph.

The application will be processed by Environment Bay of Plenty as quickly as possible. It takes approximately two weeks to register a successful applicant and issue him/her with a photo ID card. When the application has been processed the client and the agency will be notified of the outcome in writing. The agency can then supply the registered client with vouchers.

The statistical information provided by applicants will enable Environment Bay of Plenty to report on the Total Mobility Scheme and to plan for its future. Statistical information is held in a separate part of the database and cannot be linked to a specific applicant.

A private company processes the photo ID card. The company scans an applicant’s photograph into computer memory for the purposes of production and reproduction of cards. The company retains a record of the photograph and other information necessary to reproduce the card.