In a new trial, New Zealand Post is taking over the old-fashioned inking of fingerprints from police in Auckland.

Photo: RNZ

Until now, people needing fingerprints for jobs and immigration purposes had to have their hands inked at a police station.

From Thursday, NZ Post will take over the service with an electronic capture and copy system in a three-month trial in Auckland.

The trial is being run at three post shops in the central city, North Harbour, and Manukau. There will be a charge for the service.

Head of agency services Mandy Smith says the service is just an expansion to what New Zealand Post already offers.

"There were a number of things we needed to test out in the trial: that it is a service that we can provide a good customer experience on, that we meet standards that are required by the various jurisdictions and do it in a way that's sustainable."

Police say more than 10,000 hours of staff time is taken up by them providing the time-consuming service.