sofistek

My 17 year old son (soon to be 18) passed his driving test in the UK last October. He would not be pleased if he had to go through the whole process again in NZ.

From what I can find out, he would be able to drive for up to a year on his UK licence but would then need to apply for his NZ licence and would only need to pass a written test. The only slight doubt is that you need to have held your UK licence for 2 years to avoid a practical test. Now, when we hope to emigrate he won't have held his licence this long but, after the initial year, he would have done.

I can't see that he will have to become a learner again and can't find any information to the contrary. But does anyone have first hand experience of this stuff, just in case I've missed something. I think it will be OK but need to confirm it.

Watt Dabney

Hi

I am looking at a land Transport Authority factsheet on this subject at the moment. It says:

"If you have an overseas driver licence or an international driving permit, you can drive in NZ for a maximumum of one year from your first arrival"
"Before one year has passed you apply for a NZ driver licence, to be exempt from the practical you need to produce a valid current overseas driver licence from the exempt countries. Prove you have enough driving experience(ie have held a full overseas driver licence for at least two years)


It seems to mention the 2 yr thing in reference to the time you take the test, but it is a little unclear.
This is their website www.ltsa.govt.nz I haven't been on it so I don't Know if the answer is there but it may have an e-mail where you could ask.

Hope this helps

Paula

sofistek

Thanks, Paula, that's pretty much what I figured. It's only unclear in that it doesn't explicitly state that the 2 years must have been accumulated before entering the country. If you take the LTSA at its word, it would seem that the 2 years is at the time of application for the licence.

Good idea to e-mail them, I've done that and will post here if I get an answer.

sofistek

The LTSA confirmed what I thought. You have to have had your UK licence for 2 years at the time you apply for a New Zealand licence, to avoid the practical test.

muppetking

I would worry more about the 'hoon' or boy racer culture here! In Christchurch a couple of weeks ago a gang of kids were racing through a main part of town at 180kph at 6pm. Needless to say there was an accident.The kid involved was a hero to the local youth and was asked to sign autographs!This is a pretty regular occurence. Road deaths are TWICE as high here compared to the UK according to NZ Autocar magazine! You can start learning at 15 and imported cars are so cheap. Insurance is NOT compulsory!!

sofistek

Is that culture peculiar to Christchurch?

I know 15 year olds can learn to drive but I think there is a minimum learning period and then a 2 year restricted period after passing. Doesn't that help dampen down the problems, generally?

muppetking

I hear it's worse in Auckland! You are correct about the restrictions but this doesn't appear to deter many youngsters! Last week the police did a 2 hour spot check for seat belts and found 57 drivers not bothering.

JWW

Muppetking, I think you are in danger of becoming the Pommie Bastard of the South Island.

I agree this was a nasty incident, but to say this happens as a regular occurence is utter crap. The way this type of incident is reported all over the front page of the Press definately suggests overwise, and nobody died unlike a similar incident in the North of England week before last, where a child was killed. In fact I can remember only one other incident of this type in 3.5 years of living here. Also, it was 120k's not 180 and Moorhouse Ave is a four lane road, not the local high st, and the guy is now serving 21 months in jail as of yesterday.

As for the 'hoon culture', I would also question this. Is there a single westernised country in the world that doesn't have young teenagers driving cars with loud stereo's and wide wheels through a city centre on a weekend night? Certainly not the UK, Ozzie or the States, I have stayed in all three countries in the last six months and seen it to a far greater extent. The reason it gets reported in Ch'ch is because there is absolutly nothing else happening worth reporting. Someone being beaten up ouside a pub makes the front page here as you well know.

Yes, the road death statistics aren't good, but you should know as a teacher (and therefore presumably a reasonably intelligent person) that small populations skew statistics like that, added to the high amount of Asian student drivers on dodgy licences (who tend to kill themselves) and a high number of older, pre-impact protection cars(now being dealt with). But you know all this.
Having spent 3 and a bit weeks in the UK over Christmas I find it difficult to see how anyone can die on the roads. With the traffic, I don't think we got above 30mph the whole time we were there.

I have seen that most of your posts are negative in respect to New Zealand, maybe you should think back to what drove you here in the first place. Try relaxing a bit Muppet.