For most people, your driver licence is valid for 10 years. We'll send you a renewal reminder letter about eight weeks before your photo driver licence is due to expire (provided we have your current address on our system).
Download the application form to renew your driver licence [PDF, 197 KB]
Find a driver licensing agent in your area
In most cases it takes less than 10 minutes to renew your licence.
To renew your licence, you must apply at a driver licensing agent.
You will need to:
You'll then receive a temporary licence which is valid for 21 days. Keep this on you whenever you're driving until your new driver licence arrives in the mail - within two to three weeks.
The licence renewal fee for your new licence will depend on the class(es) you are renewing.
All full classes and learner heavy vehicle classes will generally be issued for 10 years and cost $43.90.
Your learner or restricted licence car or motorcycle licence will only be issued for five years and cost $20.10
If you are aged 64½ or over, your licence may be issued for less than the standard term and will expire on your 75th birthday (in which case you may pay a lower fee).
See the full list of fees.
If you have an old style licence card, see the front of your photo driver licence for the expiry date of your licence. See the back of your licence for the expiry date of any endorsements you may hold.
If you have a new style photographic licence the classes and endorsements you hold are in a table on the back of the card. You will need to check the expiry date of each class and endorsement.
See what's on your New Zealand driver licence
You don't have to wait for the driver licence renewal pack. You can renew at anytime.
If you renew your licence:
For drivers aged 75 years and over the expiry term is different
If your learner or restricted licence was obtained or last renewed before 1 December 2014, you can renew it at any time. However, your new licence will only be issued for five years.
If your five-year learner or restricted car or motorcycle licence was obtained or last renewed on or after 1 December 2014, you should be aware of changes announced on 4 November 2019 that affect licence expiry dates. These changes mean many five-year learner or restricted car or motorcycle licence holders won’t need to renew their licence until at least December 2021.
Some licence holders, such as those who have been suspended or disqualified, won’t get the expiry extension and may need to renew their licence. If you’re unsure what to do in this situation, visit a driver licensing agent or call us on 0800 822 422 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
If you want to renew your five-year learner or restricted car or motorcycle licence, you can do this up to 90 days before it expires. You’ll need to pass another theory test and your new licence will be issued for a further five years.
Find out more about changes to learner and restricted licence expiry dates
Driver licensing agents and course providers
Getting the next level of licence (restricted or full), if you’re ready, is still the best option – and will give you more independence.
If your licence is likely to expire while you're overseas, it's worth renewing your licence before you leave.You can only renew your licence when you're in New Zealand.
Renew your licence before you leave New Zealand
If your licence expired more than five years ago, you may have to pass theory and practical tests to requalify your licence. However, if you can produce evidence you've been licensed to drive during the past five years (for example with an overseas driver licence) you may not need to sit the tests.
If you haven’t upgraded from a paper driver licence to a photo driver licence, you are strongly advised to do so as soon as possible.
All old style New Zealand driver licences (booklet or paper) have now been expired for more than five years. This means you can't drive using your old New Zealand driver licence, and you'll need to requalify your licence to get it back.
Photo driver licences are one of the best ways to catch unlicensed and disqualified drivers and, along with tough roadside penalties, get them off our roads.
Licences with photos also help the police to check that new and inexperienced drivers (those in the graduated driver licensing system) do not break the conditions under which they're allowed to drive.
You should carry your driver licence with you at all times when driving, as drivers are required by law to produce their driver licence immediately on request to a police officer. If you're caught driving on an expired licence you could face a $400 fine and, if summonsed to court, you could be fined up to $1000. Driving on an expired licence could also affect your ability to get car insurance, delay any insurance claim or result in a claim being declined.
Read Factsheet 54: Upgrading driver licences from paper to photo
To requalify your licence if it has been expired more than five years, you must apply at a driver licensing agent.
You'll need to:
If you have been licensed to drive overseas within the last five years, you may not need to sit the tests to requalify your licence. Bring your overseas driver licence with you when you make your requalification application at an agent.
The requalification fee will depend on on the class of licence you are applying for.
| Car or motorcycle learner licence | |
| Application fee | $48.20 |
| Theory test fee | $45.70 |
| Total | $93.90 |
| Car or motorcycle restricted licence | |
| Application fee | $48.20 |
| Theory test fee | $45.70 |
| Practical test fee | $86.60 |
| Total | $180.50 |
| Car, motorcycle or truck* full licence | |
| Application fee | $49.60 |
| Theory test fee | $45.70 |
| Practical test fee | $59.90 |
| Total | $155.20 |
*if you are requalifying a truck learner licence, please call us on 0800 822 422 to determine which tests you'll need to complete and the fee you'll pay.
