Skip to main content

API keys, filters and limits

LINZ Data Service web services require an LDS API key. This is different from the temporary key used by LINZ Basemaps.

Create an LDS API key​

  1. Open LINZ Data Service.
  2. Sign in. If you do not yet have an LDS account, create one first.
  3. Click your name in the top menu.
  4. Choose API Keys.
  5. Click Create API Key.
  6. Enter a useful label such as QGIS desktop.
  7. Choose Data access only for normal GIS use.
  8. Click Add.
  9. Copy the key and keep it somewhere you can retrieve it when setting up QGIS connections.

Official instructions: Creating an API key.

Do not manually invent a layer URL​

The easiest method is to let LDS generate the correct service URL for the dataset.

  1. Open LINZ Data Service.
  2. Search for the dataset you need.
  3. Open the dataset page.
  4. Open its Services tab.
  5. Choose the service you need, usually WFS for vector features or WMTS for raster/map tiles.
  6. If you are signed in, LDS inserts your API key into the URL automatically.
  7. Copy the complete URL and paste it into QGIS.

For example, the public dataset page for current primary cadastral parcels is NZ Primary Parcels.

A layer-specific WFS address follows this pattern:

https://data.linz.govt.nz/services;key=YOUR_API_KEY/wfs/layer-LAYER_ID?service=WFS&request=GetCapabilities

You normally do not need to type this from scratch. Copy it from the dataset's Services tab.

Keep large requests small​

National parcels, addresses and similar datasets can contain millions of features. Do not connect to a large national layer and immediately request every feature.

In QGIS WFS connections:

  1. Zoom the map to the rohe or study area first.
  2. Open Data Source Manager → WFS / OGC API - Features.
  3. Select the connection.
  4. Enable Only request features overlapping the view extent.
  5. Click Connect and add the layer.
  6. If QGIS offers WFS paging, enable it and use a moderate page size. LINZ's QGIS guidance recommends no more than 10,000 features per page.

For analysis that needs a fixed local copy, export the resulting features to a GeoPackage after loading them.

Filters for repeatable requests​

LDS WFS supports spatial and attribute filtering. Useful approaches include:

  • map/view extent in QGIS
  • bounding box filters
  • attribute or ECQL filters
  • Intersects and Within
  • WFS paging
  • layer-specific connections instead of the national all-layers service

LINZ documents the filter syntax at WFS filter methods and parameters and WFS spatial filtering.

Keep the key out of public files​

An LDS key is a credential. Do not put your real key into a public GitHub repository, public screenshot or training document. If a QGIS project containing a service URL will be published, remove or replace the key first.

If a service times out​

Reduce the request before retrying. Zoom to a smaller area, use a filter, use paging, or download a cropped extract from LDS instead. See LINZ WFS timeouts.

Last reviewed: 27 August 2026

Last updated on