- Learner: minimum age 16; the theory test must be sat in person and cannot be booked online.
- Restricted: at least 16½ and a learner licence held for six months before you can book the test.
- Full: 18, or 17½ with an approved advanced driving course certificate.
- Total NZTA fees for the three stages: $362.50 (1News). From 25 January 2027: $282.50.
The three stages
| Stage | Entry rules | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Learner | 16 or over | Sit the theory test in person at an agent. The AA says the test cannot be booked online, and you must be present even if someone else pays. Study the official road code first. |
| Restricted | 16½, and learner licence held for six months | Pass a practical driving test. Once you hold it, carry the licence when driving; under 20, the zero alcohol limit applies. |
| Full | Hold the restricted licence for 18 months if under 25 (12 months with the AA Driver’s Seat course); six months if 25 or over (three with the course) | Pass the full licence practical test. Restricted conditions then fall away. |
The waiting periods are from the AA’s pages. Under the changes the Government confirmed in February 2026, they are due to change in January 2027, covered below.
What has to be done in person
You can book a restricted or full test on the NZTA website and apply for a replacement licence online, but the AA says identity verification, your photo, your signature, the eye test and payment are done at a licensing agent. The AA and VTNZ are the only agents. The practical tests themselves are carried out by VTNZ testing officers.
What it costs
| Item | Fee, checked 5 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Learner application (includes two tests) | $96.10 |
| Restricted application | $167.50 |
| Full application | $98.90 |
| Total, three stages | $362.50 |
1News reported the total of $362.50 and the $98.90 full licence fee. The learner and restricted figures are from NZTA’s fee listing as shown in search results, because the NZTA site blocks automated access; they add up to the 1News total. NZTA’s conversion factsheet lists a practical test fee of $59.90 and a theory test fee of $45.70 for people converting a licence, which shows the scale of single-test charges. Check the NZTA fees page before you pay, and lessons are extra.
What changes from 25 January 2027
1News reported that the Government confirmed the second practical test needed for a full licence will be scrapped, taking the full licence fee from $98.90 to $25.90 and the total from $362.50 to $282.50. The report says under-25s will have a default learner period of 12 months, which can be shortened by supervised practice hours or approved courses; the restricted period for that group will be 12 months, extended by six months if demerit points are received; zero alcohol limits will apply to all learner and restricted holders; eyesight checks will be limited to initial application and renewal; and the hazard perception test moves to the restricted stage. The date was moved from July 2026. Confirm each detail on NZTA before planning around it.
Prepare, then book
- Read the official road code, which NZTA publishes.
- Book a lesson or two with a driving school, and an AA practice test if you wish; the AA warns wait times have increased since fees changed.
- If you cannot use a booking, cancel in good time so someone else gets the slot. NZTA’s conversion factsheet shows cancellations within two full working days cost the full test fee.
If someone offers a shortcut
There is none. See can you buy a driver licence in NZ and what happened to people who paid for passes. Already hold an overseas licence? Read converting an overseas licence.
Keeping the licence once you have it
govt.nz says most photo licences are valid for 10 years and that NZTA sends a renewal reminder about eight weeks before expiry if it has your current address. Update your name, gender or contact details by contacting NZTA. The AA adds that renewals are done in person and take about 15 minutes. See lost, stolen or expiring licences.
Other vehicles and newcomers
This guide covers a class 1 car licence. govt.nz points to NZTA for other vehicles, and NZTA’s factsheet explains that class 1 covers cars, vans and utes, classes 2 to 5 cover heavy vehicles such as trucks, and class 6 covers motorcycles. If you already hold a licence from another country you may not need to start at the learner stage: the conversion guide sets out the rules. Visitors, govt.nz says, do not need a New Zealand licence to drive here but must meet some conditions, and after more than a year in the country you need to convert.
A note on cost against the scam
The lawful route is not free, but the prices are published, the receipts are real and the result is a licence that any agent or police officer can verify. Scam offers rely on you not knowing that a first licence costs a few hundred dollars in NZTA fees, with the biggest saving, the scrapped second practical test, arriving in January 2027. If you are quoted a price for a “fast licence”, compare it with the table above and then with the red flags.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to get a driver licence in NZ?
16 for a learner licence. A restricted licence needs 16½ and six months on a learner licence. A full licence is 18, or 17½ with an approved advanced driving course certificate.
How much does a driver licence cost in NZ?
NZTA application fees across learner, restricted and full stages total $362.50, reported by 1News, dropping to $282.50 from 25 January 2027. Lessons and extra test attempts are additional.
Can I do the learner test online in NZ?
No. The AA says the learner licence theory test must be sat in person at a driver licensing agent and cannot be booked online.
How long until I can sit the full licence test?
Under 25, you must have held a restricted licence for 18 months, or 12 with the AA Driver’s Seat course. At 25 or over it is six months, or three with the course.
Is NZ scrapping the full licence practical test?
1News reported the second practical test will be scrapped from 25 January 2027, cutting the full licence fee to $25.90. Check NZTA for the final rules.
Who runs the driving tests?
The AA says VTNZ testing officers carry out the tests at designated sites. NZTA sets the rules and issues the licence.