{"id":5955,"date":"2025-01-19T07:00:11","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T18:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/?p=5955"},"modified":"2025-01-22T20:53:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T07:53:22","slug":"class-5-truck-licence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/class-5-truck-licence\/","title":{"rendered":"How do I get my class 5 truck licence?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>To get a class 5 truck licence so you can drive a large combination vehicle you will first need to have held a full class 4 licence for at least 6 months (or 3 months if you are 25 or older) then apply for your class 5 learner licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much does a class 5 licence cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no&nbsp;learner licence theory test if you already hold a class 3 licence, otherwise you need to pass a theory test which you can practice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/roadcode\/heavy_vehicle\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The learner licence application fee is <strong>$77.50<\/strong> and you can do the test as many times as you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full licence application fee is <strong>$39.80<\/strong> and you can do the test as many times as you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be a fee to use or borrow a truck to do the practical test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What sort of vehicles can you drive on a class 5 licence?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-large wp-image-2346\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/tanker-truck-600x326.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/tanker-truck-600x326.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/tanker-truck-300x163.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>A rigid truck towing a large trailer with a gross combination weight of more than 25000kg, such as this tanker truck<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-large wp-image-1003\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"357\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/truck-carrying-digger-595x357.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/truck-carrying-digger-595x357.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/truck-carrying-digger-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/truck-carrying-digger.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><figcaption>A tractor unit pulling a trailer with a gross combination weight of more than 25000kg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting a class 5 learner licence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You must have had a full class 4 (medium rigid vehicle licence) for at least 6 months (or 3 months if you are over 25 years old) before applying for the 5L (class 5 learner licence) at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/driver-licensing-agents-and-course-providers\/agents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">driver licencing agent:<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fill out the&nbsp;<a title=\"Download a DL1 form\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/assets\/resources\/application-for-driver-licence-dl1\/docs\/dl1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">application form<\/a><\/li><li>Present&nbsp;<a title=\"Identification you need to get a driver licence\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/identification\/\">evidence of your identity<\/a><\/li><li>Prove your&nbsp;<a title=\"Requirements your eyesight must meet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/eyesight-requirements\/\">eyesight meets the required standard<\/a><\/li><li>You may need to present a recent valid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/medical-requirements-for-driving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">medical certificate<\/a>. There are extra medical restrictions for driving heavy vehicles.<\/li><li>Let the agent take your photo and signature<\/li><li>Pay the&nbsp;<a title=\"Learner licence application and test fees\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/licensing-fees\/licence-fees\/#new-or-additional-licence-class\">learner licence application<\/a>&nbsp;and test fee and book a theory test.<\/li><li>Pass the theory test.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting a class 5 full licence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You must have had a class 5 learner licence for at least 6 months or pass an&nbsp;approved&nbsp;course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apply at a driver licensing agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fill out the&nbsp;<a title=\"Application for issue or renewal of driver licence form (DL1)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/assets\/resources\/application-for-driver-licence-dl1\/docs\/dl1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">application form (DL1)<\/a><\/li><li>present&nbsp;<a title=\"Identification for driver licences\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/identification\/\">evidence of your identity<\/a><\/li><li>prove your&nbsp;<a title=\"Eyesight requirements for a driver licence\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/eyesight-requirements\/\">eyesight meets the required standard<\/a><\/li><li>let the agent take your photo and a signature<\/li><li>provide a&nbsp;<a title=\"Find out if you need to provide a medical certificate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/getting-a-licence\/medical-requirements\/\">medical certificate if required<\/a><\/li><li>pay the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nzta.govt.nz\/driver-licences\/licensing-fees\/licence-fees\/#new-or-additional-licence-class\">full licence application and test fees<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then either pass a class 5 practical test in a class 5 vehicle or provide the approved course certificate from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trdrivertraining.co.nz\">heavy vehicle training company<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taking the practical test<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The full licence test is 30 minutes including 20 minutes of driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you fail the test, or do not show up, you will have to pay the testing fee again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I convert my overseas heavy vehicle licence to a class 5 licence?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All drivers of heavy vehicles must take and pass a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/roadcode\/heavy_vehicle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">heavy vehicle theory test<\/a> to change their valid overseas heavy vehicle licence to a New Zealand heavy vehicle licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your licence is from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK or USA then you don&#8217;t need to take a practical test <strong>as long as you have held your licence for more than two years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are fees for licence conversion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are from a non-exempt country, the price is $123.20 for a learner or $85.50 for a full licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are from an exempt country, the price is $27.10 for a learner or $29.50 for a full licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proposals for class 5 licences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Current proposals are that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>class 5 learner licences will be removed<\/li><li>class 4 full licence holders will be able to drive class 5 vehicles with a supervisor<\/li><li>class 4 full licence holders that are under 25 years old will have to wait 6 months from getting a class 4 full licence to getting a class 5 full licence; for drivers over 25 years old, there&#8217;s no wait time.<\/li><li>courses and practical tests will be made more difficult, including important tasks such as coupling and decoupling trailers, lashings and loading, etc.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To get a class 5 truck licence so you can drive a large combination vehicle you will first need to have held a full class 4 licence for at least 6 months (or 3 months if you are 25 or<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/class-5-truck-licence\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[356],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-driver-licence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5955"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32653,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5955\/revisions\/32653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drivingtests.co.nz\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}