> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.empe.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.empe.io/develop/intro/issuing-credentials.md).

# Issuing Credentials

This guide explains how to issue a verifiable credential from the operator panel: pick an assigned schema, fill in the claim values, create a **credential offer**, and hand it to a holder as a QR code or deep link—or claim it directly into one of your cloud wallets.

Every credential offer is an **OpenID4VCI** pre-authorized offer. The offer is delivered as an `openid-credential-offer://...` URI (rendered as a QR code), which a compatible wallet scans to collect the credential.

***

## Open the Issue form

1. From the **Sidebar Menu**, open **Issuers** and select the Issuer you want to issue from.
2. On the Issuer detail page, open the **Schemas** tab. The **Assigned schemas** section lists every schema bound to this Issuer, grouped by name and credential type, with one row per version.
3. Find the schema version you want and click **Issue credential**. *Note: the button is enabled only for **Published** schema versions; draft versions cannot be issued.*

<figure><img src="/files/UCTze8QTHlM2hdU3vtO8" alt="Issuer detail Schemas tab with Issue credential button"><figcaption><p>Issuer detail — the Schemas tab with an assigned schema and the Issue credential button</p></figcaption></figure>

***

## Fill in the claim fields

The **Issue Credential** form is generated automatically from the schema's claim definitions. Each property becomes an input, required fields are marked, and field titles and descriptions come from the schema.

1. Enter a value for every required claim (for example **employee\_id**, **full\_name**, **department**). Optional claims left blank are omitted from the credential.
2. Click **Generate offer** to create the offer.

<figure><img src="/files/6zApUV46zK7sjv40nu6Y" alt="Issue Credential form with claim inputs"><figcaption><p>The Issue Credential form with claim inputs filled in</p></figcaption></figure>

***

## Share the credential offer

After the offer is created, a **QR Code** panel appears next to the form with the offer rendered as a scannable image. From this panel you can:

* **Scan** the QR code with a wallet to collect the credential.
* **Download** the QR code as a PNG.
* **Print** the QR code.
* **Copy offer URL** to copy the raw `openid-credential-offer://...` URI for sharing through another channel.

<figure><img src="/files/6kaMLsgxIHlHUmsazTgv" alt="QR Code panel with Download, Print, Copy offer URL"><figcaption><p>The QR Code panel with Download, Print, and Copy offer URL</p></figcaption></figure>

### What gets sent

Issuing from the form creates the offer via the credential-offers endpoint of the selected Issuer.

**Endpoint**

`POST /issuers/{issuerDid}/credential-offers/qr-code`

**Request Body**

```json
{
  "credentialConfigurationIds": ["EmployeeBadge@1:sd-jwt"],
  "issuanceMetadata": {
    "claimsByConfigurationId": {
      "EmployeeBadge@1:sd-jwt": {
        "employee_id": "E-1024",
        "full_name": "Ada Lovelace",
        "department": "Engineering"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

* **credentialConfigurationIds:** the credential configuration to issue, in the form `Name@Version:format` (e.g. `EmployeeBadge@1:sd-jwt`). The panel resolves this from the schema version you selected.
* **issuanceMetadata.claimsByConfigurationId:** the claim values you entered, keyed by the same configuration id.

The `qr-code` endpoint returns a **PNG** image of the QR code, with the offer URI in the `X-Credential-Offer-Uri` response header (and `X-Pin` when a PIN is required). The plain-JSON variant, `POST /issuers/{issuerDid}/credential-offers`, returns the offer details directly:

**Response Body**

```json
{
  "credentialOfferUri": "openid-credential-offer://?credential_offer=...",
  "issuanceSessionId": "a1b2c3d4-...",
  "credentialConfigurationIds": ["EmployeeBadge@1:sd-jwt"],
  "userPin": "1234"
}
```

* **credentialOfferUri:** the `openid-credential-offer://...` URI behind the QR code.
* **issuanceSessionId:** the id of the issuance session created for this offer; track its progress under the Issuer's **Issuance Sessions** tab.
* **userPin:** present only when the offer requires a PIN (see below).

***

## Track issuance sessions

Every offer creates an issuance session, listed under the Issuer's **Issuance Sessions** tab as a table of Session ID, State, and Created/Expires timestamps. Opening a session's **Session Dashboard** side panel re-displays the offer QR code for an active session, offers **Copy offer URL**, lists the issued credentials of a completed session, and lets you claim the offer straight into a cloud wallet.

***

## SD-JWT VC and JWT-VC-JSON

A schema can be published in two credential formats, and each format produces its own credential configuration id:

* **SD-JWT VC** — configuration id ends in `:sd-jwt` (e.g. `EmployeeBadge@1:sd-jwt`). SD-JWT credentials support **selective disclosure**, so the holder can later reveal individual claims to a verifier instead of the whole credential. The claims a schema marks as selectively disclosable are defined when the schema is created.
* **JWT-VC-JSON** — configuration id ends in `:jwt-vc-json` (e.g. `EmployeeBadge@1:jwt-vc-json`). The credential is a single signed JWT with all claims always present.

Pick the configuration that matches how the credential will be used: choose **SD-JWT VC** when holders need to share claims minimally, or **JWT-VC-JSON** for a simpler all-or-nothing credential.

The Issue Credential form resolves the credential configuration id automatically from the schema version you selected and issues that configuration; for a schema published in both formats, the panel picks one configuration for you. To issue a specific format, call `POST /issuers/{issuerDid}/credential-offers` with the exact `credentialConfigurationIds` you want (for example `EmployeeBadge@1:jwt-vc-json`).

***

## PIN-protected offers

A credential offer can require the holder to enter a short transaction PIN before the credential is released. This binds collection to someone who has both the QR code and the PIN, which you can deliver over a separate channel.

When an offer requires a PIN, the offer is created with `requirePin: true`, the response includes a `userPin` value, and the QR-code response carries the PIN in the `X-Pin` header. Share that PIN with the holder out of band.

PIN-protected offers are created through the API: send `requirePin: true` in the body of `POST /issuers/{issuerDid}/credential-offers` (or its `/qr-code` variant). The Issue Credential form always creates offers without a PIN.

***

## Claim into a cloud wallet

Instead of handing the QR code to an external wallet, you can claim the offer directly into one of your own **cloud wallet** holders—useful for testing an end-to-end flow.

1. In the **QR Code** panel, find the **Claim with wallet** section.
2. Select a holder from the **Wallet** dropdown (the list shows the holders you have created).
3. Click **Claim**.

The panel sends the offer URI to the selected holder, which collects the credential into its wallet. On success you are taken to that holder's **Credentials** view, where the new credential appears.

<figure><img src="/files/6kaMLsgxIHlHUmsazTgv" alt="Claim with wallet section"><figcaption><p>The Claim with wallet section with the holder dropdown and Claim button</p></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/URsVYG6S0BEzXmODRWUO" alt="Holder details Credentials tab with the claimed credential"><figcaption><p>The holder's <strong>Credentials</strong> view after a successful claim, with the credential's raw JSON</p></figcaption></figure>

**Endpoint**

`POST /holders/{holderId}/process`

**Request Body**

```json
{
  "uri": "openid-credential-offer://?credential_offer=..."
}
```

**Response Body**

```json
{
  "status": "success",
  "claimed": 1,
  "ids": ["..."]
}
```

If you need to claim into a holder that does not yet exist, create one first from the **Holders** section, then return to the offer and select it in the **Wallet** dropdown.

<figure><img src="/files/B8cQKN1obWq7PWA5Y40s" alt="Holders list with Dashboard and Claim credential actions"><figcaption><p>The <strong>Holders</strong> screen — each holder offers a <strong>Dashboard</strong> and a <strong>Claim credential</strong> action</p></figcaption></figure>


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