KayleighandCraigNZ13

Hi,

I'm moving to New Zealand, Christchurch at first, in September this year. Looks like my registration (Nursing NZ) is going to take a while to sort out so planning to come over and get used to things whilst, (hopefully), my fiancé can get temp admin work and we can start travelling.

A few questions about driving!

He can drive in the UK. Full Licence. What do you have to do to transfer this in NZ? What's the driving like generally?

I am still learning! I have a provisional in the UK. I've had a fair few lessons need more practice but I stopped learning as I never got round to the theory test. I was hoping to come over and start learning to drive, I've researched this and I realise there are different levels to a learner driver in NZ and im still not very clear.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

MrsFychan

seasoned drivier of over 20 years and afraid to say that some of the drivers over here leave a lot to be desired.
Your boyfriend can just drive on his UK licence for up to a year before he would have to get a NZ one. That just means going to the local AA shop with an eye test, or he can get it done there, fill in a form, pay some money. He will get a temp licence then the full licence will come in the post.

read this
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/resi...riving-nz.html


Not sure how the lessons and test for you would pan out as have had no experience, but seems there are three stages.
Read This:

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/fa...-to-drive.html

Mark Smith

Anyone feel free to correct me, My wife went to the AA and filled out a form, took an eye test there and was issued with a temp NZ licence. The card licence came in the post about a week later. If I remember correctly it was around $40. It was all very straight forward, although I think you have 1 year to change the licence over.

I never got round to learning in the UK and have sat my theory over here to get a learners licence. Did it at a VINZ (also AA) cost $96. As I'm an old man I can pass my learners and then restricted licence in 9 months rather than the statutory 2 years. I'm not sure if you can transfer a UK provisional.

Have a look at http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...1-learner.html

Tom1983

You have a full year to transfer your british licence to a kiwi one.

Regards to learning

As long as you learn how not to indicate at roundabouts, fail to understand the left lane is for non passers on passing stretches, indicate to turn left at a junction that is 3km away, go mad when someone is tailgating you because your doing 10kmh on a roadwork stretch, overtake a bus whenever (especially if a blind bend is approaching), ignore the rule of the green man at traffic lights, drive through yellow lights and become an expert in cutting up - then you are immediately a professional Kiwi driver

Oh and make sure you are always at 0.070 units of alcohol in you - makes you a much better and safer driver

Plus parking, the rules to park is to either park in a diagonal line so that you block other car park spaces. Or do trial and error - when you hit other cars, you know to stop and try again.

Hitting the kerbs and hitting cars is probably seen as a retry, not a major

Conor79

haha, nailed it!!!

Bo-Jangles

Who knew? To think I stressed for years at parallel parking and getting my wheels all straight, when there was the far easier option of diagonal parking.

MrsFychan

you do need to know that you have to park your car in the direction of the traffic. within the parallel parking lines you have to park forward into it or you may get a ticket.

chippy64

Your year starts from when you last entered NZ, so if you leave NZ for whatever reason, your year starts all over again when you get back!

KayleighandCraigNZ13

Thanks that was hilarious and very helpful!

I'm planning to start to learn when I get over in September as this wold make things easier so thank you all for your help.

MrsFychan that link was great thank you.

babybella

If you have the time, I would try for your full licence in the UK, then you just get to swap for a full licence here.
Otherwise you take the road code then if you pass get a learners for 6 months, then if you pass your learners you get a restircted for a year (means no driving after 10pm and no passengers (except one who has a full licence) then you need to retake your test to get a full licence.
Oh and yes agree with Tom, indicators in NZ are just an optional extra.
Good luck
Kaz

Mark Smith

I'm pretty sure that changes after the age of 25 and drops down to 9 months in total. - although still a pain.

moonie2011

Really, on all 3? I get within the lines but driving into a space, that's my pet hate

What about when there are no markings, do you still have to park in the direction of traffic?

MrsFychan

Yes you have to park on the side of the road with the flow of traffic.
If there are parallel parking lines you have to drive into them not reverse into them as you can get a fine for doing it.

Woodlea

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...lesson-20.html

Strange how NZTA supply instruction on doing something that is an offence.....perhaps it isn't

Conor79

Haha, Driving Skills Syllabus!!! You might be only the person who's read that, Woodlea