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Version: Latest (4.0.0)

NFC Access

NFC (nfc) is one of the access methods supported by Access Pass alongside qrcode and pat. It follows the same template → pass → introspection model as QR code ticketing, but the credential is presented by tapping an NFC-enabled card, wristband, or device instead of scanning a code.

info

This page mirrors the verified QR code flow with method: "nfc" in place of method: "qrcode". How the issued token is provisioned onto physical NFC hardware (card encoding, wallet pass, wearable) is an integration detail outside accesspass-srv itself — confirm the exact provisioning approach with your NFC hardware/wallet provider before relying on this page for a production rollout.

How it works​

Step 1: Register target resources​

Before creating an NFC template, register the resource(s) it should grant access to — see Physical access control for the resource and resource group setup. Resources are registered in the Access Control service, not via accesspass-srv.

Step 2: Create a pass layout (optional)​

A layout is only needed if the pass is also displayed visually to the user (for example in a mobile wallet alongside the NFC credential). For tap-only tokens with no visual representation, this step can be skipped. See Create a pass layout if you do need one.

Step 3: Create an NFC-enabled pass template​

POST /accesspass-srv/templates
{
  "name": "venue-nfc-template",
  "description": "NFC entry template for venue access",
  "methods": ["nfc"],
  "maxValidity": { "value": 12, "unit": "hours" },
  "systemConstraint": { "scopes": ["entry:scan"] },
  "targetResourceRef": {
    "resourceIds": ["device-venue-gate-n1"],
    "resourceGroupIds": ["group:venue:north-gates"]
  }
}

See Create pass template. methods: ["nfc"] restricts this template to issuing NFC tokens, and maxValidity caps how long any pass created from it can remain valid.

Step 4: Issue the pass and provision the token​

POST /accesspass-srv/passes
{
  "passUserHolder": { "sub": "sub-fan-120045", "givenName": "Aarav", "familyName": "Sharma" },
  "passUser": { "sub": "sub-fan-120045", "givenName": "Aarav", "familyName": "Sharma" },
  "pass": {
    "title": "Venue Entry - North Gate",
    "passId": "NFCPASS-0001",
    "productId": "venue-entry",
    "productName": "Venue Entry",
    "productInstanceId": "venue-2026-03-20",
    "passTemplateId": "venue-nfc-template",
    "method": "nfc",
    "validFrom": "2026-03-20T12:00:00Z",
    "validTo": "2026-03-20T23:00:00Z",
    "targetResourceRef": { "resourceIds": ["device-venue-gate-n1"] }
  }
}

The response contains the token to provision onto the NFC medium:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "passId": "NFCPASS-0001",
    "token": "<nfc-token-value>"
  }
}

See Create a new pass. Writing the token to a physical NFC tag, wristband, or a mobile wallet's NFC credential is handled by your own provisioning workflow/hardware SDK — accesspass-srv only issues and validates the token, it does not write to NFC hardware directly.

Step 5: Introspect the NFC token at the checkpoint​

POST /accesspass-srv/passes/nfc/introspect
{
  "token": "<nfc-token-value>",
  "access_method": "nfc",
  "strictValidation": true,
  "targetResourceRef": { "resourceIds": ["device-venue-gate-n1"] }
}

See Introspect (validate) a pass. As with QR code and PAT, always include the targetResourceRef of the actual reader/gate, and treat the introspection result as the authoritative entry decision.

Endpoints used in this guide. For the full API surface, see the Access Pass API reference.

OperationMethodPathDescriptionLink
Create pass layoutPOST/accesspass-srv/layoutsOptional visual layout for wallet display.View API
Create pass templatePOST/accesspass-srv/templatesNFC-enabled template with methods: ["nfc"].View API
Create passPOST/accesspass-srv/passesIssues the pass and returns the NFC token.View API
Introspect passPOST/accesspass-srv/passes/nfc/introspectValidates the token at the reader.View API

Checklist​

  • Use method: "nfc" on the template and pass.
  • A pass layout is optional for NFC — only needed if the credential also needs a visual representation.
  • Confirm your NFC hardware/wallet provisioning workflow separately; accesspass-srv issues and validates the token but does not write to NFC media itself.
  • Introspect with the actual reader/gate's targetResourceRef, not just the token.