showtime247

do you have to resit your test to obtain a kiwi driving licence for car and bike/ and also how much is it likely to cost.

Snap Shot

I think you can drive on your UK licence for a year. I'll be doing just that. I want to get nz driving lessons so I can get a kiwi licence. My husband exchanged his nz licence for a uk one in 1990. I'm assuming the same exchange arrangements might be available t'other way too.

concretepump

hi no you don't have to resit your driving test, just go into the AA building you have an eye test sit down and do a theory, takes 30mins then if you pass about three weeks later you get your kiwi licence, you can buy a book just to gen up on nz driving law and is worth doing cost about $40 not sure of cost now as done my over three years ago

NakiMan

yep, you can drive for up to one year on your UK license

You can get a NZ license at any time without taking any lessons or further testing. You no longer have to take the theory test

Just go into any AA shop, fill in a form, take a simple eye test, show some ID and your UK license and they will issue you with a temporary one on the spot and a new NZ license will follow in a week or two. Costs $40-50 if I remember rightly.

Unlike the UK, you can keep your UK license when you get a NZ one, although technically its invalid once you leave the UK.

Curious isn't it. You can drive for 1 year in NZ on a UK license which wouldn't actually be valid in the UK.

Remember that if you go back to the UK for a holiday, you must show your NZ license when hiring a car, because your UK one is invalid if your home address is not in the UK.

Gizmo27

Just did mine.

You can use a UK license for up to 1 year after your arrival though.

Went in, asked for one and I had to fill in a form, photocopy proofs of ID, take an eye test, fork over cash and got one.

Eventually that is. Be careful of names. One of my middle names was not on my UK License and it took 2 months to sort out - And they ignored that detail in the end.

Go figure! haha

Justcol

Gizmo's info is spot on, its now dead easy.
words of advice for when you hit the road.

1) watch out for unmarked camera vans amd police cars.
They tend to ignore it if you are less than 10k over the limit
unless you are passing through a school zone when the temporary
40k limit is showing.

2)Always stop dead at any stop signs, they will get you if you dont.
slowing down to check its clear isnt enough, you must STOP.

3)Watch out for the silly turning right give way rule, it can catch you out.
They have announced that it is being scrapped in 2012 but you'll
have to put up with till then.

Jan n Neil

The form for a New Zealand licence actually states that the licence you are changing has to either be valid in that country or have expired less than one year ago. If you have PR you need to change your licence straight away - as one of us found our when stopped for - ahem - a minor traffic infringement and the nice copper told him.

I am in trouble with my other half as I keep forgetting to change mine over - not done it yet sorry darling will get onto it

Jan

shelloid

I am so proud of myself - I got my NZ licence through the post jut this week

I had a bit of trouble explaining to the girl at AA what I was actually after - I had a provisional car but full motorcycle licence in the UK. She just couldn't understand the UK licence - as my full allowances are on the plastic part and the provisional bit are on the paper part - it took me a while to figure out what was going on too!

So now I have my full NZ motorcycle licence and my restricted car licence!! I was expecting my learners, but they happily gave me my restricted because I'd had my UK learners so long!
So technically I can drive a car on my own here in NZ even though I've never driven a car in my entire life

The woman at AA told me I could phone up and get my car licence changed to a full one because I had had my UK learners for over 10 years! So I could get my full driving licence without ever having taken a test!!
Not sure how true it is or whether she was confused - don't think I want to try it out either.....for some reason it just doesn't seem safe!

Gizmo27

Congrats!

They tried to do the same thing with me. I have a provisional motorbike license as part of my full UK car license and they offered me a full motorbike license despite the fact that my provisional bike license expired in 2001!

I have no idea why it is still on my car license though, given I got my car license in 2003 after the bike license had expired

I politly declined the bike license. I want it back, but having not ridden in 11 years figure I had better have lessons first and be safe!

Travelqueen

This thread is really helpful as I got pulled over by the police for a license check the other day and advised to get an NZ one soon.

With the bit about the UK license, is it invalid because of the address being different to where I'm currently living (i.e. NZ)? When I go back for a holiday next year I will be staying at the address on my UK license, so would it still be invalid?

Thanks!

rogercruse

I've got the same problem. What did you do to resolve it?

bevissa65

Got mine a few days ago. Really easy, eye test, photo, proof of ID and pay!! Was here in 10 days. Well impressed. Mind you, my licence was the old paper type and that confused them for a while Bevissa

londonescapee

God that is the 1 thing that has gotten me so far - it's such a strange rule. Sometimes I remember but then most of the time I sit there like a dumbass at right turns whilst everyone stares at me in confusion, then I go at left turns whilst there is a right hand car going at the same time and then all of a sudden it dawns on me that I have to stop There was a great discussion on National radio about that - most people writing in asking why they can't change it in time for the world cup next year

Others also wanted to be able to turn left at a red to be introduced (same as some US states - I love that one!).

Easy peasy changing your licence over - they didn't want to see my counterpart licence just my plastic bit. She was confused by the counterpart bit. In Auckland just go to the AA centre on Albert St it is really fast.

It is much better to get your NZ licence converted if you plan on owning a car as it also brings down your insurance rates (apparently). And if you need car finance then you will also have to have an NZ licence too (that's what Turners told us).

Gizmo27

No it dosn't. What it does is reduce your excess.

The excess on my policy is $400NZD (Standard) and until I got a NZ License, also included $400NZD Foreign Drivers Excess. Non-Full NZ License holders also pay this additional $400 (ie NZ Learners).

When I told them, my insurance premium didn't change 1 cent , but if I claim, the ammount I have to pay halved!

londonescapee

This is probably dependent on the insurer. The AA told us that our yearly insurance premium would be higher if we had been on our UK licence and that they could only give us $400 as a minimum excess. We got our insurance done at the same time as exchanging our licence across. I'm gutted we didn't go with the other insurance bods AMI as we could have got zero excess which the AA didn't offer us for only about $60 more a year . Oh well, next year.....