Driving tests

Can you drive in New Zealand on an overseas licence?

Any visitor to New Zealand with a current, valid overseas private driving licence can drive for 12 months using that licence before they have to change it to a New Zealand licence. Occasionally these timeframes are temporarily changed by the government in extenuating circumstances (e.g. from November 2024 it is 18 months until they clear the backlog of tests).

It’s recommended that drivers of heavy vehicles respect the weight limits of their overseas licence.

If the visitor leaves New Zealand, even for just a day, that 12-month clock resets and they can drive again.

For New Zealand residents and visitors from countries like Germany, this allows them to maintain their home licence and the ability to drive in New Zealand. This is because countries like Germany only allow a driver to have one licence; if a person wanted to sit a New Zealand licence they would have to surrender their German licence. Getting a licence in Germany is much more expensive and difficult than in New Zealand, which is why some are reluctant to give it up.

Countries that can convert a driver licence to a New Zealand licence without having to take a test

Licence holders from the following countries can easily convert their private passenger vehicle or motorbike licence without having to take a theory test:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America.

Drivers from other countries must take a theory test which can be booked at VTNZ.

Employers employing a driver who was able to simply convert their licence without taking a theory test should consider having the potential employee take our road rules tests to check their knowledge; this course also contains driver health and safety and advanced driving modules.

Heavy vehicle drivers must take a theory and/or practical driving test to convert their licence to a New Zealand one.

How long can your overseas licence be expired before it’s invalid?

You can use your overseas licence up to 12 months after it has expired. After that, wherever you are from, you’ll need to take a theory and practical test.

How to convert an overseas licence to a New Zealand driver licence

While you can drive on your overseas licence for up to 12 months, you might eventually want to convert it to a New Zealand driving licence. The process is:

  • fill out an application form
  • provide evidence of your identity
  • prove your eyesight meets the required standard by presenting an original eyesight or medical certificate that is less than 60 days old or passing at test at a driver licensing agent
  • provide a medical certificate (if required) – for example, if converting a heavy vehicle licence
  • present your overseas driver licence. If your licence is not in English, you will need a translation 
  • let the agent take your photo and signature (you can be smiling in the photo)
  • pay the application fee
  • provide legible, good quality, colour photocopies of all the original documents you’ve provided, as listed above, including any translations.

If you need to take a theory or practical test, you’ll also have to pay the test fees.

You can’t convert your foreign licence to a New Zealand licence using only an international driving permit; you must present your physical overseas driver licence.

Insurance

You can get car insurance in New Zealand with an overseas driving licence but driving on an overseas licence may mean that you pay either more insurance premium or more excess if you claim on the insurance policy.

Should the 12-month time limit be reduced

Arguments for reducing the time limit to, say, 3 months

  • It would generate more revenue for the licencing agencies because many more visitors would have to convert their licences.
  • It would force more people to have to learn the New Zealand road rules and be measured in how competent they are before they are allowed to continue to drive.
  • Other countries (e.g. China) force drivers with an overseas licence to do a test before issuing a 3-month temporary licence.

Arguments against reducing the time limit

  • Three months could be too short to process someone’s application and have them take the test, giving time for a retest if they fail.
  • It may discourage some people from coming on driving holidays to New Zealand which would reduce tourism revenue.
  • Statistics for accidents involving tourists and visitors are inconclusive – there’s no evidence that reducing the time limit would save lives as the majority of tourist drivers don’t stay longer than three months (obviously it is impractical to test all visitors to New Zealand before they hire or buy a vehicle).
  • More infrastructure would need to be put in place to handle the increased volume of testing, and this could lead to longer waiting times for New Zealand citizens in the interim, disadvantaging young job-seekers and others that would rely on a vehicle.
  • It would require a legislation change.
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Darren has written over 3000 articles about driving and vehicles, plus almost 500 vehicle reviews and numerous driving courses. Connect with him on LinkedIn by clicking the name above

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