UK Driving Licence in New Zealand

Holders of a UK driver’s licence don’t need to take a test at all, they need to apply for a New Zealand licence and one will arrive within a few days. However, the onus is on the licence holder to ensure that they know the Road Code.

The New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) is the organisation that administers driving tests and issues driving licenses. Have a look at the section of their website for the Road Code.

Class 1 (car) driver licence tests

The restricted driver licence test has been developed to assess the higher skill levels expected of today’s more experienced licence applicants. The 60 minute test is longer than the previous test and includes 45 minutes of drive time. The remaining 15 minutes is used to check the safety of the vehicle prior to driving and to provide feedback.

The full licence test time has reduced to 30 minutes which includes 20 minutes of driving. All driving licenses include a photo and personal information on the holder, and you are obliged to keep your personal information (including your address) up to date. You need to keep your licence with you at all times when you are driving – which is very easy, as they are credit card sized with no fiddly extra bits of paper.

Online help

Have a look at www.drivingtests.co.nz as it has all the NZTA information but in a more palatable multiple choice question format (the existing Road Code is a bit impenetrable). They are the largest provider of Road Code training in New Zealand with over 70,000 people using their free service per month.

Car Insurance

For car Insurance, I can recommend national Insurance Brokers Rothbury who would be able to help you find the most suitable car insurance policy for you. Please contact us so that we can put you in touch with the most appropriate broker in your area who will be able to give you a professional and personalised service.

To find out more, request a free copy of our Financial and Pension guides for New Zealand.