How to do the census online Me pēhea te whakamahi i te tatauranga mā te ipurangi
Doing the census online is quick, easy, and secure. Find out how you can take part.
How to do the census online Me pēhea te whakamahi i te tatauranga mā te ipurangi
Doing the census online is quick, easy, and secure. Find out how you can take part.
What you will need to do the 2023 Census online
- A device with a current internet browser, such as a smartphone, computer, or tablet
- Access to an internet connection.
- Your private access code, which is on your census letter.
Everyone can do the census online
But the forms you need to complete may differ depending on where you are staying on census night: in a private dwelling, or in a non-private dwelling.
- Private dwellings are places where households live. Common types of private dwellings are houses, townhouses, flats, units, and apartments.
- Non-private dwellings include places like hotels, hostels, hospitals, and retirement homes. They are places that provide temporary or communal accommodation.
If you are in a non-private dwelling on census night, the person in charge will give you what you need to do the census online.
Completing the census online for a private dwelling
You will get your census letter (with your private access code) either from a Census Collector visiting your dwelling, or in the post.
You can complete your online census forms as soon as you have this. Complete them on or before Census Night, Tuesday 7 March 2023.
Whenever you complete your forms, answer the questions as if it was census night (Tuesday 7 March 2023). In other words, if you complete your forms earlier than this, pretend that it is Tuesday 7 March 2023.
- For example, there is a question that asks what kinds of work you have done without pay in the last 4 weeks. Your answer should be about the 4 weeks before Tuesday, 7 March 2023.
- Visit www.census.govt.nz
- Click or tap the "Start your census" button.
- Enter your private access code.
- Click or tap the "Start" button.
- Only one person in your dwelling needs to complete this. They need to do this before the other forms. If you live with other people, check with them who will do it.
- Only one person in your dwelling needs to complete this. They will need to do this before anyone completes their Individual Forms. If you live with other people, check with them who will do it.
- Every person in your dwelling on census night needs to complete an Individual Form, or have one completed on their behalf. For example, adults can fill out Individual Forms for children or babies.
You will now have access to your online census forms.
The Household setup section confirms your address, and the names and basic details of the people at your dwelling (the place where you live or stay, such as a house, apartment, flat, or unit).
The Dwelling Form is a short set of questions about your dwelling. For example, the number of bedrooms, and if you have the internet.
The Individual Form asks questions about each person. For example, where you were born, and the languages that you can speak.
Tips for completing the census online
Once you start each form, keep going until you finish it
For your privacy and security:
- you cannot save your progress in an unfinished form
- each form will ‘time out’ or disappear if you leave it for 20 minutes.
So if you leave a form unfinished for more than 20 minutes, or you close your browser, you will need to start that form again.
Use the guide notes
You will see a question mark icon next to many of the census questions.
Tap or click on this for extra context about the question, and tips for answering it.
You can also find similar details about each question on this website.
You have completed the census when you have finished all your forms
In a private dwelling, that means:
- a Dwelling Form
- an Individual Form for every person staying in the dwelling on census night.
In a non-private dwelling, that means:
- an Individual Form for every person staying in your non-private dwelling accommodation on census night.
After census day, we will follow up with dwellings which have not completed the census
Some people may complete the census after we have sent a letter, but before the letter has arrived at their address.
If your dwelling receives a reminder letter but has completed the census, please ignore the letter. You have done what you need to do.
If you are not sure if you have completed the census, or if you have any questions, contact us.