Converting a car licence from an exempt country

If you have a valid overseas car driver licence you can convert it to a New Zealand car licence (class 1). 

What is a valid overseas licence

Check if your licence is from an exempt country

How to convert a car licence from an exempt country

You must apply at a specialist overseas conversion site.

You'll need to:

• fill out an application form
  Application for conversion of an overseas driver licence (DL5) [PDF, 216 KB]
• present evidence of your identity
  Identification
• prove your eyesight meets the required standard
  Eyesight tests
• provide a medical certificate (if required)
  Medical certificates
• present your overseas driver licence
• present a translation if your licence isn't in English
  Approved translators
• present evidence of validity if your licence and identification are from different countries
  Evidence of validity
• let the agent take your photo and signature
• pay the application fee
• provide high-quality, colour photocopies of all the original documents you've provided, as listed above (including any translations).

You can't convert to a New Zealand licence using only an international driving permit. You must present your physical overseas driver licence.

Find a specialist overseas conversion site in your area

Practical test required if you've held the overseas licence less than 2 years

All drivers must know the road rules, what the road signs mean and how to drive safely. You can find out more in The official New Zealand road code. 

The official New Zealand road code

If you've held your licence for less than 2 years, you'll need to pass a practical driving test. This is to prove that you're familiar with our road rules and can drive safely.

Your licence needs to clearly show an issue date that was at least 2 years ago. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to get a document from your licensing authority that includes an issue date more than 2 years ago, or you can choose to sit the practical test instead. 

About the driver licence practical tests

The agent will book the test for you when you apply at a specialist overseas conversion site. If you need to change, cancel or rebook your test, you can do it online or at an agent. 

Change, cancel or rebook your practical driver licence test

What it costs

You'll need to pay an application fee. If you've held your licence for less than 2 years, you'll need to sit a practical test and pay a test fee for each test you sit. 

If you miss your test time, fail your test or if your test is terminated, you'll need to pay another test fee when you rebook. 

*If you're converting to a New Zealand restricted licence, you pay the restricted practical test fee of $86.60 instead. If you're converting a learner licence, you don't have to pay a test fee even if you've held the licence less than 2 years. 

If you need to change, cancel or rebook your test, you may need to pay a fee. 

Changing a test for an overseas conversion

If your licence and identification were issued in different countries

If your driver licence was issued in a different country to where your identification was issued, you'll need to provide evidence that your driver licence is valid. 

For example, if your licence was issued in Japan, but your passport was issued in Saudi Arabia, you'll need to provide extra evidence. 

Evidence of validity requirements

You'll get a New Zealand driver licence

Once your application is completed, you'll get a New Zealand driver licence.

If you still need to pass a practical test to complete your overseas conversion, your New Zealand driver licence will have a supervisor condition on it. This New Zealand licence over-rides your overseas driver licence, and you must only drive with a supervisor next to you in the front seat until you’ve passed your practical driving test.

A supervisor is a person who:

• holds a current full New Zealand driver licence for the class you're learning to drive, and
• doesn't have a supervisor condition on their New Zealand licence, and
• has held a full New Zealand licence for at least 2 years OR has held an equivalent overseas driver licence for at least 2 years.

Once you've passed your practical test, we'll send you a new New Zealand driver licence without a supervisor condition.

NZTA audits overseas conversions

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) audits applications where overseas licences are converted to New Zealand licences. 

If you used a fraudulent overseas licence, or provided false or misleading information on your application, this is an offence under s44 of the Land Transport Act 1998.

You could be fined up to $10,000, and NZTA could revoke your New Zealand licence. 

There's a minimum age

These are the minimum ages you must be before getting each type of driver licence:

If you're under 18 years of age, you can only convert your overseas licence to the equivalent age-related New Zealand licence class.

Different types of licence require different tests

If you want a motorcycle licence (class 6) as well, you'll have to sit another set of tests. If you also want a truck licence (class 2-5), you'll need to sit a different set of tests.

Converting a motorcycle licence from an exempt country

Converting a truck licence from an exempt country

More information

Download Factsheet 72: Converting to a New Zealand licence [PDF, 278 KB]