If you have a valid overseas truck licence from a non-exempt country you may be able to convert it to a New Zealand truck licence (class 2-5).
What is a valid overseas licence
Check if your licence is from an exempt country
You must apply at a specialist overseas conversion site.
You'll need to:
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
All drivers must know the road rules, what the road signs mean and how to drive safely.
You'll need to sit a theory test to prove that you're familiar with our road rules.
To prepare for the test, you can read our road rules in the New Zealand road code.
The official New Zealand road code
You'll also need to sit a practical driving test to prove that you can safely drive heavy vehicles.
About the driver licence practical driving tests
You can book the practical test once you've passed your theory test. You can book it at a driver licensing agent or online.
Change, cancel or rebook your practical driver licence test(external link)
You'll need to pay an application fee of $85.50.
The tests are included in your application fee. There's no fee to change, cancel or rebook your test.
If your overseas licence is the equivalent of a New Zealand learner licence, you'll pay the overseas conversion learner licence application fee of $123.20.
Once you've passed the theory test, you'll get a New Zealand driver licence with a supervisor condition.
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.
You then need to pass your practical driving test. You can book this online or at a driver licensing agent.
Once you’ve passed your practical test, you'll get a New Zealand driver licence without a supervisor condition.
A supervisor is a person who:
If your licence is from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan or Tonga, you'll need to provide evidence that your licence is valid when you apply for an overseas conversion.
Evidence of validity requirements
The minimum age to get a New Zealand truck licence is 18.
When you get a New Zealand truck licence, that will also let you drive cars (class 1).
If you also want to convert a motorcycle licence, you may need to sit a different set of tests.
Converting a motorcycle licence from a non-exempt country
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi runs an auditing programme for overseas licences that were converted to New Zealand licences.
If we find that a converted licence was fraudulent, then we'll revoke the New Zealand licence.
Download Factsheet 72: Converting to a New Zealand licence [PDF, 278 KB]
